Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1865-03-15

bO"diuo tut BdlC. OIIG
was the only father Mary had ever known
her Uncle John, in whose house she had
lived since she was an infant; the other
was Hiram Vance village lawyer, whom
people called, and not without reason. a
cold hard man. 1t seemed as though he
never enjoyed life so well, as when he had
a mortage on some poor mans house and
land. Then he had no mercy. People
had no right to he poor, he said, and if
they we're they should be made examples
of, rs warning to Others
John Grant and the lawyer came up to
the gate The latter babe her good ev-
ening," in the soft, cat-like, purring voice
he could assume when he wished to be
particularly agreeable.
The girl replied to his salutations, cold
ly, and then turned her attention again to
ber colt. She never liked the lawyer, and
less of late than ever, for she had seen
much of him. Every day for the past
three weeks he had been to the farmhouse.
She knew that he held mortgage on the
farm for three hundred dollars, but that
would not require his presence every day,
though the time was well nigh out Mary
was too much of woman, not. by this
time, to have fathomed his object. He
wanted second wife, People told her
that she was good looking Putting this
and that together, the truth came out.
She shuddered at the thought. She
become the wife Of Hiram Vance /?
Never. let fortune have~what it might in
store for her. Often she thought that
death would be preferable. He was three
times her age nearly. That alone ought
to have prccluded all such thoughts from
his mind. He was nearly fifty; and she
but six teen. Summer and Winter in.
deed.
THAT is the co 1t, Squire Vance, and
she needs no praise from me. She shows
what she is for herself"
John Grant spoke with husky voice,
and there was something that looked sus-
picously like IA tear yelling up from be-
meath his eyelashes.
"A very good colt, -ncigbbor Grant; in
fact hardly think there is "a better any
where in the country round. You raised
her, you say ?"
Il did. owned her mother; but was
/, obliged to sell her to make a payment
on my farm. 1t Was almost like selling
ones own child. And then Charles fell
so badly to part with her. and Mary, here
cried herself sick, that gave them the
colt. and promised that come what would
would never sell it. | have seen hare
times and still struggled to get along and
not sell it, anu now that Charles is gJne
it seems doubly hard to part with it |"
80, Uncle John, you arc not going tC
sell Dinah Z? In iced you cannot-mns
, not p and Mary starting up at the very
, idea, gazcd earnestly up iuto the face o
John Grant.
Mary, | fear we must either part witt
, the colt. or our home. | am an old maj
now, and where else should find rest
, ing place for my head Our only hop
, now lies buried on Southern battle
ground"
80 uncle. uncle, do not sell Dinah
| Remember your promise to the dead tha
come what would you would never sell her
. How can you break your word % crie'
, the girl grasping his hands and givini
way to burst of tears unmindfui tha
the strong man had as much as he coult
! do to control his own emotions, .....
ut is like breaking my heart, to do SC
e Maryl"
: Then why do you? will go out
work and know that Mr. Vance vii
4 give us more time in which to redeem th
4 farm"
i The lawyer shook his head slowly, "
a h, did not say no, explicitly. He wa
too cautious for that. Perhaps" b
9, began.
k DO you hear that uncle +? He almo'
d says we shall have more time, and we ca
yet redeem the farm, cant we Dinah Z"
,e The colt gave low whinny, and place
its nose up to her face, as if she unde
il stood that the girl was pleading for he