National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-11-18

Nhen VIII you give me the answer
within a week"
"A week l must have the four hum
dred dollars tomorrow morning, or /
don't want 1t at all. "
"Ah, Mark, you're alters in such haste
you see. | can't do it i'll less than five
days anyhow"
Good-by, then, :" said Mark.
"Well, well see-look you, Mark ~
added the old man "we must have
three days to examine title, and all that,
you know"
"Will You see go,u .frjend to-day, and
have the money and the mortgage ready
tomorrow morning?" said Marx, all ready
to leave.
Tomorrow, at five, P NJ" said
Robin
Tomorrow, at seven, A. NJ, res
ponded Mark, firmly q shall leave
town at eight o'clock without fail. -"
cat seven be it, then" added Robin.
And these two villages antipodes sepa-
rated for four-and-twe hours.
Robin Weston Immediately made up
/ his mind to two things, to wit First
/ that the boy was fool, and secondly,
| that the nice little estate he had thus
suddenly tumbled into, would surely be-
come his Robins property at the expi-
ration of the next twelvemonth. He
would advance the four hundred dollars.
arrange the mortgage to suit himself, the
boy would surely fail to pay-how could
be ever pay him four hundred dollars -
and the homestead worth over two
thousand five hundred dollars would be
his " Ha ha :" thought old Robin,
"he's nice young gentleman, but he
didn't know what gold is worth. Mark
Manning, will live to arm somethin' by
aud-hy."
Good morning, uncle. Did you
get it ?"
Yes but moneys dreadful tight, you
see. Now you needn't take it unless
you've Il mind so do so. My friend sent
it over, but he wants good, strong inter
est, you see. Here's the mortgage all
rcady-runs TO me, but that's only nomi-
nal. | give him my note, and you secure
me. Do you see, eh ? You must sign
this, and this--and here's the money.
The interest, legally, is six per cent.
That's twenty-four dollars and he wants
a bonus of seventy-five, and there's one
dollar for papers. Five hundred dollars
in all. you see"
"What For fow hundred ?" exclaim-
ed Mark. "Do you want me to pay five
hundred for four, in one year ?'
Cheap as old brooms. Mark-as money
now is You needn't have it, Mark. He
saws he can do better, you see.
Mark Manning read over the bond and
signed it
Robert Weston saw no more of the
boy for three weeks, and then he suddenly
, turned up again il company with fair
young girl, whom he had made his wife.
, They came, took possession of the com
, Portable old homestead and settled down
in hopes of future happiness and moder-
ate ease. Robin sud nothing aloud,
, but he kept up an ga nest MjHbiHQ. The
mortgage was stringently drawn, with
out the usual fright of redemption" on
the part of the mortgager and if he failed
r to meet his promise, Weston saw the
{ homestead his own.
Mark joined fortunes with friend, and
worked early and late, that he might be
{ punctual upon the coming payday Al
the end of six months he had over foui
| hundred dollars In three months longer
at the expiration of the eleventh month
he was nearly ready to pay the five hun
l dred dollars. The money was carefully
. slowed away in the house, in good banl
notes, and he had a. full month yet he
fore the mortgage expired, to raise the
5 remaining fifteen dollars, to meet hi
a note, of which he already had notice.
- lis your house insured q asked hi
s young partner, one day, as they wer,
speaking of a recent calamitous fire tina
+ had occurred in aneighboring town.
$ "No, Charles-not yet. | shall pay
uncle Rob. his money first and imme
o diately as that is out of the way | shal
attend to that little matter.
e The third night succeeding his eonver
sation. the homestead of Mark Manning
was burned to the ground. and every
e thing he ever owned building, furniture
clothing, money.aH was lost in tn
e ruins He was houseless and pennies
the next morning, having barely escape,
~ alive. with his wife and her infant, tw
= months old The land was left, however
II beautiful spot which WIS mortgage,
~ for the five hundred dollars and the not
matured in fortnight
- Mark Manning was deeply troubled
;, His wife must be provided for however
=, The estate was gone The land wa
" worth twelve hundred, Int he could nc
- redeem his bond in season, and old Robi
~ would take iU--of course-tor the unpai
y, note. He was sorry he didn't get in
Is sured, he said.
~ The day the note mutured, Mark Man
o. ming put his best and most cheerful fac
upon his embarrassment, and waited o
the old man. whom he thonght IT might b
possible to arrange his aflairs with, unde
M the peculiarly unexpected, and Ito Mark
unfortunate circumstances of the case
though, To ten the truth, he scarcel
ID hoped for any lenity.
n Good morning, uncle sud th
III young man, rs he entered lns homel
ID room hope you're well.
Yes, yes, I'm well enough who
~ now ?"
come to see you about my not,
y which is due to-day 1--WE got tn
ry notice-this is the last day of grace
- "Got the notice ? Well, you've Ro
,o the moReg, too, of course, replied ol
Robin. who knew better, however, b,
cause he was confident that the boy In
10 lost everything in the burning and ns h
y. never believed Mark would be able
nay him, he was angry to think that TIA
i'll default he anticipated NOW that the hous
wns DESTROYED would have the effect {
givinp him possession of the hud onl,
10. with hut twelve hundred, instead Of I'll
whole estate. il the buildings had bee
bc left. worth double the SUN