Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-09-10
hone to add a small sum to it each year

hope to add small sum to it each year.
have an economical wife, and she will n,
only save, but earn a trife. She is frs
rate shirt-maker, and runs her machine lii
a streak"
a"You are lucky dog" said Grab, 70
+ draw such prize" slapping him on tn
shoulder. "You 60 home and talk tn
matter over with your little wife, and see
she don't say right off, Buy the cottage;
will save every cent and earn all possibl
can, to help pay for little home of GU
own When you have made up your mlnc
call and let me know, and [ will see what
can do for you. I don't want much money
only the interest and hundred or two jus
to bind the bargain" o..a
Grab went way with a chuckle.
"That's the customer for me-" he said t
himself. CHOW I must work out my plan
I'll go and see Lena Wright ard coax he
first. If that takes, all right; if it don't
then I'll rage like bedlam, and scare he
out of her wits. I'll have a capital time
Old Puritan has gone out West, to visit hi
children, and is to be gone three or fou
months I'll have it all finished up befor
be comes back. I hope the cars will run Of
the track and finish him up, I do; yes. I do
What business has he to be meddling ant
advising or praying with everybody"
| The following day he went to see widow
Wright, and found her at her work. HI
sat down near her, and in a sort Of patron
izing manner, began .a. s....sv
"You have thought better Of your affairs
since was here? A woman Of your gooc
sense is sure to be right when she has haa
time to think matter over. am sure yor
have seen what an offer made you. Why
YOU would not get such another offer in {
lifetime"
Lena made her machine buzz, and did moi
stop to hear him.
At length he bawled out
"Do you hear"
She checked the speed of her machine on
ly long enough to say:
II gave you my answer when you were
here week ago, and can say no more, SC
please excuse me-" and she put on the full
speed of her machine.
Grab went and stood over her, and said
Ill u VOICE VI TaSe.
Il have sold this place, and shall bring
the deed to you to sign tomorrow, so that's
the long and short Of it; and what's more, ]
won't leave this house till you sign it; SO you
know what is to be done, and when it is tc
be done, !" and slamming the door behind him,
went out
As soon as Grab was gone, Lena burst
into food of tears. She asked herself the
question, 'sHow is it? If I had been taken
away instead Of my dear husband, he would
have remained here unmolested, and taken
still another year after the mortgage had
run out to redeem it; but poor woman,
ignorant Of business. must be driven from
her home, and left prey to every sharper
that can lay hands on her. l wonder if men
ever think of it I wish the women would
get up petition to the Legislature for law
to protect women in their homes. All these
complaints can do no good. promised
Mr.. Puritan if 1 had further trouble with
Mr.. Grab, that would call and see lawyer
Alger but do SO dislike to call on q law
yer; still | must 60, and will get ready"
She told the lawyer what Grab had said
to her, and that she expected him again the
next day. Alger enquired if she had room
adjoining the one where she received Grab.
Lena replied she had. ''Then," said the
lawyer, II want you to refuse to sign the
deed until he threatens you with his furious
gestures, and then sign it and I will send
a young man to sit in the room adjoining.
with the door ajar, to hear what is said and
done. I will fix the affair when you have
signed the papers"
"Mr. Alger, hope you are not asking
me to sell my little home, humble as it u.s."
said Lena. 7a.. 7al.ys-a
"No," he replied; II know what I am
about. / intend to make old Grab bite the
dust, the old william, if I can get the grab
on him."
Lena went home sorroWful. She felt there
was little hope in this world for the unpro-
tected. What if Alger had deceived her
friend Puritan, and was playing into the
hands of Grab? What could she do Moth
ing only wait, and that she must do
Next morning the young man was early
in the room adjoining, but did not have long
to wait before Grab came with Justice Of
the Peace and the document, Mr.. Grab
was very pleasant, and brought package
Of candy and bunch Of grapes for the little
girl, calling her all sorts Of sweet names,
and then turning to Lena, said:
"You have such a sweet little pet. I do
not see how you manage to make her always
look so nice. I think dirt is afraid of her.
II meyer touches her or her clothes, either
Well" said he, "Mrs. Wright, have
brought them are papers for you to sign. l
will let you sign the lease. I have signed
it first, and therefore you will be on the safe
side. Then the deed and it will be all as
NC agreed"
agreed ~ said Lena. II did not agree
to sign either the lease or the deed.'
"Well, we'll" he replied, "that makes no
difference here or there If it is signed, 1t
is signed, and will be all the same"
II told you should not sign any paper
unless Mr.. Puritan told me to do so," said
Lena. ..
- cold Puritan, ha What does he know
about law Z? Just about as much as my dog
does-the old hypocrite,
'Well, Lena continued, the mortgage
has not yet run out, and | have made up my
mind not to sign any papers,
Grab stood up and stepped near her, and
with his fist clenched. raised his voice to
scream, and added; 4@ersq
"fou wont sign them !--you avont sign
them, will you? Yes. you will, or I'll burn
the house down over your head, you little
fool What are you thinking about Sup
pose l sell place, and it amt paid for, am I
to sit down and suck my thumbs, and let
you keep it !? l don't do that any way you
gan fix it; so you just sit down there, and
put your name on that are paper, as you are
told to, and you save heap of trouble for
yourself and me-"
Lena trembled like an aspen leaf in the
wind and SIGNED the deed which ,vas wit