The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1866-06-06

funds. And in this condition Horace
Harding found home matters at the ex-
piration Of his term of service.
Old Simon Suggs advanced the monty,
and held the securities. He was a hard,
grasping old man, a moncy-lcndcr by pro-
iession, grown rich upon unholy gains !;
but in the sparscly settled agricultural
region where the Iardings lived, he was
almost the only moneyed man. Wealth
enough there was OF flocks and herds, and
waving harvests, but little money, and
men would give old Simon almost cent.
per cent. sometimes, when the necessity
was great, as in this case.
He would lend to Mr. Harding only
on the security of his small, but fine farm
Only thus, and the money must be had,
and his terms were accepted.
''One years harvest at war prices, will
set us right" Mr.. Harding said; and so,
! blindly, it is true, but reluctantly, he gave
the miser Il hold upon those acres, trebly
worth the sum advanced, and built and
sowed in hope-whch hope that third
summcr-that summer Of burning heat
and drought-blasied, and left him bank
rupt in hopes as in purse.
And now the time was come for pay
mcnt, AMI old Simon demanded the fulfill
mcnt of his bond.
We have called him old Simon, for
that was the name by which he was
known far and near, and he had the
pinched and aged appearance which Il
misery life so often produces, though in
reality h, was not Old enough to escape
the coming draft.
Simon was Il great coward, and he
valued his precious person far too highly
to be willing to make it a mark for bull
lets. As far as metals were concerned,
he preferred gold to lead or steel, and
though ratiOns and free living at the
expense of the government tempted him
not Il little, he still thought that he could
make money enough at home to ovcrbal-
ancc the expense. And, as the time ap-
preached, his fears so increased that he
reluctantly decided to procure Il su,sti-
tutc. And this WAS how Horace Hard
ing got personally complicated in the af-
fair.
Old Simon threatened to forecosc the
mortgage. lie had bought up every
claim lie could discover against Mr.
Harding. If he made use Of the power
in his hands, certain ruin must follow to
the distressed family. 1t was not many
hundred dollars, but it represented, home,
comfort, peace TO the stricken man. TO
lose these was more than he could bear.
lie bent beneath the blow, and could II II
rise. From hale, mldlc-agcd man, he
suddenly grew oh, and his mind, yielli; q
with his physical strength, threatened II
decay of its powers, AMI perhaps per-
manent imbcciity. And old Simon,
looking upon the ruin he could work, saw
in it his opportunity. lie had Il double
molivc-onc now hidden in the back
ground so securely that it, existence wa,
never suspected But he felt that lie
could bide his time.
Ills first move was to propose TO IIor-
ace TO become his substitute, and to offer
as a consideration the REIMBURSEMENT of
all the claims he held against the elder
| Harding. And this it was that Horace
had accepted. That very day he had
agreed 10 enter the army as substitute
for Simon Suggs, and had received mort
gage, notes and all in return. Ills father
was free man, but he was bound
1t was very hard. Long ago, before
he first enlisted he and Mary Lord had
been lovers They had waited for hls
return, and then Horace had no home to
which he might bring wife And now
there must be a farther delay, perhaps
separation, only to be ended in another
| sphere of existence. 1t was a dreadful
trial TO both those young hearts. How
great a trial, they, even now, could harG-
ly estimate. But Horace was comlorted
10y the thought that thus lac purchased
home and peace for his parents and sure
ly no sacrifice was too great it made for
them.
After he was gone, those he left behin
were as peaceful as human beings can b.,
cncumbered with anxiety AMI sad cxpcc-
tation. Battle after battle, dire and
bloody, was fought. Horace was in most
of them. Horace was exposed to all
the horrors Of wounds, Imprisonment, and
sudden death. No one could predict the
tidiras of the coming day, but a great
hush of dread and expectation was over
all the land,
AT last the blow fell. A great and
terrible battle had been fought. The
wounded and the dead counted by thous-
ands. There we've hundreds of prisoners
llorace's own regiment had been more
than dccimated. The smoke of the bat
tie must clear away before the losses can
be counted. 1t cleared. The names
long lists Of slain-wcre Published, and
columns of wounded. Ills name was not
among those. Stay here it is. But
opposite TO it is written ''HsSag -
The months and the years pass away
and no tidings came of the lost one.
And then old Simon Suggs appears
once more apon the scene. lie has bided
his time. lie does not mean to wait till
the deadness of despair is quito over, un-
til energy and the power OF resistance are
re-awakened.
lie has known the mother of Mary
I / L l,ll L.. l..