The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-10-29

had been met late IN the evening cvue
from roofess cottage. and seen 70 nnge.
about RUNE barn for the gresser Pars
of an afternoon. That was ominou', pus
worse threatened our peace. Inc olo
house in the marshy hollow q the Ioos
of the rocky hill, now become 700 iuinoas
To sbelter even ghosts, was advertised to ,
he sold for one hundred pounds TO any I
one who might be induced to buy it for
the materials. "There IL . bargain !" said
Uncle Richard to me a. we sat alone in ]
nv fathers back parlor, every soul OF the
family but myself having gone to the
Bounceleys' grand party, TO which neither
my uncle nor Cousin Grace, who happened
to be with Us at the time, was magnificent
enough to be invited. l had stefd at
home to keep them company, knowing
that my fair enslaver, Lucy Sutton, was
not to be there" q bargain not 10 be got
hold of every day, George. If had that
one hundred pounds to lay down, shoulo
make my fortune, az, and the fortune OF
my friends. too. The property Is worth
two thousand to any man OF judgment
could drain the ground and build three
houses of the materials, any one OF which
would pay my expenses three times over
and am ready to give anybody twenty
per cent. for the loan of the money TO be
paid quarterly in advance; that is better
interest than you get in the Salop bank,
my boy" it
The old fox knew that had just the |
sum he wanted, saved from cigars, thea
tres, and other causes of young mems out |
laying. by way of commencing fund for
housekeeping expenses, in case Lucy and
Lucy's parents should smile upon my |
suit. had been vain enough to exhibit
the bank receipt, and Uncle Richard had
fixed upon it as his prey to sink in the
old house in the marshy hollow; but he
did not know that had affections as
strong as his own, though they went In
different direction, and, moreover, had
been made wide awake to the results OF
his house-hupting from childhood.
Steel and stone he found me to his prom
ises of twenty per cent. and eternal grau-
tude, to all the castles he built in the air
out Of the ill-reputed ruin, and to his final
lamentations that his own brothers son
would not help him to make the fortune
of the whole family; when We were both
startled by the voice of Cousin Grace be-
hind us saying: Richard, will lend
you the money"
could scarcely believe my eyes and
| ears; but there she stood in her worn
and much mended black dress and Grape
collar, which she wore to save washing,
her face bound up with another piece Of
black for she was troubled with the
toothache, and her gray hair hidden by
rcd flannel hood. to ward off the rheuma-
lism.
you are an angel" cried Uncle
Richard, running towards her with ex-
tended arms
"Recollect propriety, sir" said Cousin
Grace, taking him by the shoulder and
setting him down in q chair. George"
she continued, "the Bounceleys have
sent over for you: they can never get
Young men enough at their parties; but it
is not right to offend them; you know
they are related to Mr. Cheeks brother.
f in-law: go up to your own room and
dress this minute"
saw the necessity of going, under the
circumstances and what passed in the
back parlor that evening, never could
= make out; but Cousin Grace kept her
i resolution to lend Uncle Richard the
! hundred pounds, which we all believed to
i be her entire savings. No persuasion, no
, pointing out of possible consequences,
i could move her from 1t. Uncle Richard
e had promised to pay her; he would moi
break his word to an unprotected female
' and she thought it her duty as cousin to
J. give him a chance of retrieving the mis-
! she would probably never want, for 1t wa.
. her belief that she was not long for thi.
|. world. Cousin Grace, as we all knew
|, was lady not easily turned from
\ anything she had set her mind on
q When the entire clan Of Rsmshorr
= had exhausted their arguments and ad
h jurations-when she had fought wordJ
8 battles with each of their wives, and gen
= eral engs gements with the whole family
a when she had shaken the dust of mos
n of their houses off her feet and got it OF
Is again, the money was lent to Uncl:
!. Richard, and with it he bought the ole
n house in the marshy hollow.
n The ioy or the folly of his life appeared
to be crowned by the possession of tina
coveted tenement. Morning, noon, ant
V night, he was deserted moving about it
,. ruined walls, scrsmbliDg out of some o
~ its sashless windows. or seated on rocl
'e hard by, contemplating his desirable prop
:; erty. The reputation Of the place pre-
Is vented his being iptruded upon by curiou
~ neighbors, none of the Transforms, excep
y Cousin Grace, would come within a mil
" of it or him their indignation, including
d my own, knew no bounds at this last an
10 most desperate relapse. At the end of tn
re first fortnight of his ownership, Messri
'o Cannon & Gosling summarily dismisse
him for neglect of business, and Cousi
a. Grace announced her intention of marry
r ing him without delay. OF course sh
e, was reminded of what sort of jointure wa
~ to be expected; but Grace said one could
BY mt pass over ones lot and Uncle Richar
In being agreeable, the marriage came off az
H. nj =
id protested, in the first instance, that the
to would have nothing to do with the PAL
tx and finally went in body to the wedding
ed Grace almost sent the ladies of the famii
8 into fits by appearing in silk dress o
at the occasion bought ont of the remains {
e; her savings, no doubt, and therefore show
s; ing a clearer prospect of the workhouse.
n; But Mr.. and Mrs. Richard Rainshor
a did not betake themselves to that digniie
be retirement; on the contrary they fri
ch took quiet chambers in Shrewsbury
e. where Richard advertised himself, an
ID commenced business as solicitor; Will
t.; Grace supervised both him and his clients
1g then they leased piece of ground in th
lie neighborhood, and began to build hous
of very decent dimensions out of the ms
ed teriais in the narshy hollow. By-and by
ls it was evident to US all that Uncle Richar
n was an altered man and that the chang
r. was much for the better. The most ur
m manageable of his domains in the roofes
ne cottage and ruined barn line were pulie
C down, to help the building of his ne,
lg home, or disposed of for like purposes
2. the best of them were by degrees repair
as ed, and let to honest tenants; his ow
tn house was finished; he and his lady too
ID possession, and furnished it wonderful
ly vell, though with great complaints of tn
o. dear times. Uncle Richards legal bus
In ness increased, or at least mis- prosperit
did; first, Mrs. Richard had one servant
ID then she had two; black silk dress n
r. placed the well-mepded stuff one; an
I'd the rheumatism was kept out of her hea
D. by a velvet hood instead of the re-
8, flannel.
10 Time works wonders in all parts of tn
ID world, and SO it does in ours, for the dis
IL grace of the Rsmshorns became thei
,e glory. Within ten years of my refusal t
re help Uncle Richard In making tn
h fortune of the whole family wit
N that hundred pounds l had in the Salo
re bank, found myself quoting his saving
1, of wisdom, and setting forth his GREATNESS
y on every opportunity. All the rest of hi
d kindred were doing likewise except Mrs.
G. Richard, nee Cousin Grace: she had nd
Of monished him before marriage, and, ex
d cellent woman, she continued to admonisl
y him after it, but their conjugal life was
l4ya