Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-09-10
SELECTED STORY.
Il. LENA WRIGHT;
OR, SORROWS NEVER COME sINGLY.
BY MRS. JAMES DURNO.

young man, tinsmith by trade, who saw,
loved and welded Lena Bond. When they
began life together, they determined to sue
coed, and buy home for themselves.
| Old Tom Grab had small cottage, which
he had sold and got possession of again some
three times, and he hoped the husband of
Lena, to whom he had sold it, would also
fail to pay for the cottage, The sum was not
large to man Of means, but he had only
seven hundred dollars to pay twelve hundred
with. az ;4a' : 'ie't g 70 90 ''"
Grab chuckled as he made the deed and
took the mortgage, and soliloquized thus:
!, "Let's see; there was Tom Jones six hun
bred, and Bill Turner's four hundred, and
Dan Prices four hundred and fifty, and a
new yard fence worth twenty-five more, and
now seven hundred cash down., (rubbing his
hands, and I warrant when the three years
are out take possession again. It is good
piece of property-ha, ha it is; and young
folks are SO sure they can pay; they don't
reckon on increased expenses with increase
of family"
In two years they had paid all but one hun
dreI dollars Lena's heart sank, how
ever, as she heard the deep, hollow cough of
her husband, and looked at their sweet little
girl, just beginning to walk.
They hoped against hope that, when
springtime should come, he would rally, and
his health improve. Alas the spring days
came not to him but to Lena they came
laden with sorrow. Old Grab scarcely waited
for the funeral service to end, before he pre-
sented himself to enquire what she was in
tending to do. She replied that she had not
yet consulted her friends, but would do 80 at
an early day. He returned within a few
days and proposed to her to sign an agree
ment to vacate the cottage, and allow him to
take possession within the term of the mort
gage and if she would sign his paper, he
would not compel her to administer on her
husbands estate. Hepictured the lawyers
fees, and the long term of time it would &C.
cupy, and the expense of such tedious pro-
cess, required to finish up the business She
replied, she had friend, Mr.. Puritan, and
he had exacted a promise from her that she
would not sign any papers until be had ex-
amined them, and knew them to be right.
''To the ID with old Puritan" he re-
piled che would make man sign his name
on his knees before him-the old fool. TIL
teach him to mind his own business, and
keep his nose out of mine see if I don't
What has he to do with your affairs Why
didn't you tell him you we're old enough to
take care of yourself p
"You are quite wrong to get in a passion
about the advice Of Mr.. Puritan said Lena.
II am child in business affairs; and after
your first visit here, soon after the death of
my husband, I sent for him to come and see
me, and he has been kind enough to search
the records, to ascertain what l can do for
myself. You know used to work at vest
making before l was married, and in the
busy season since: still we owe something
on the place. How much is due now Mr.
Grab ?"
Zone hundred dollars and interest, and
cost for foreclosing the mortgage, and Incl
dentals; altogether near another hundred"
said Grab. care you fool enough to stitch
out such a sum on that machine Of yours ?
Then there is taxes, and recording, and id
surance, apd-and-and other expenses,
that woman knows nothing about. Now,
we must have short work of this business
will you sign that are paper ? That is what
I am talking about"
"Not till see Mr.. Puritan and take his
advice" said Lena.
Grab continued: "To settle this thing on
the spot, I tell ye what I'll do; I'll give ye
the rent Of them three rooms you lived in
when you we're first married. for one year,
and make lease to you this very day and
that is as good as sixty dollars. To be sure,
you paid but $40 three years ago, but rents
are gone up since then, and you will always
have good friend in me, and good friends
are not to be despised by wilder woman
like you. Of course there will be plenty Of
fellefs round if they think you own house,
but them's not the kind Of friends you want;
but them that's got the TIM slapping his
hand on his pocket.
Lena took out her machine and went to
work, saying to her disagreeable visitor
II must work every moment, and shall
have to work an hour later, on account OF the
one I have wasted this morning"
Grab rose to leave, saying:
"Yop'll think better Of this to-nerfoW E
you needn't tell old Puritan, T'm as good a
friend to you as he is"
A few days after the above call, Grab met
a young man, and said to him;
Married, ha? You want sung little
cottage to put your birdie in p
II would like one," replied the young
man; "but We must creep before we walk
"A Lad hut i