Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-06-06
THE MILL AND THE TAVERN.

stand known as the Red Lion' and twenty
acres of ground attached thereto and to
my other son, Jacob, the grist-mill on Dart
Creek, and the residue of my landed prop
erty"
So the will read. A deep silence, and
then single word of dissatisfaction. 1t
came from Jacob, the younger son of the
deceased Richard Cragan. His brother
looked up with a troubled expression on
his face, and their eyes met
"The will is not to your mind" Richard
said, gravely, but kindly.
mo, it is not" answered Jacob, with a
hardness in singular contrast with his
brothers subdued and gentle manner
you prefer the tavern stand?n
"Of course | would" reioined the
brother.
"And would prefer the mill So all
can be satisfactorily adjusted" replied
Richard, in frank and cheerful way.
Jacobs face was not the only one that
showed surprise. But as none present had
a right to question Richards decision,
there was no remonstrance or deprecatory
remark.
"Well, you are a precious fool" said
Harry Glenn, i'll an angry voice, on meet
ing Richard Cragan next day; "and, if
Katy follows my advice, she'll give you
the mitten."
"What do you mean?" asked Richard,
showing some resentment at this rude as
sault.
"Just what I say. Didn't your father
leave you the Red Lion tavern-stand?"
"Yes."
"And you've given it to Jacob for that
miserable old grist-mill on Dart Creek?"
eyes"
"Humph !"-contemptuously-"I knew
not imagine you were such cursed fool
as you are. Why the tavern.stand is
worth forty times as much as the grist-
mill"
MAYBE 50, and maybe not" replied
Richard, with flash in his eyes that was
unusual to their blue tranquility "time
will show. As for me, | am satisfied; and
no one has right to question any decision
| may choose to make touching my own
affairs"
81 have a right" said Glenn, with some
thing offensive in his voice, "as the brother
of Katy"
"Stop there, Harryp' lnterposed Rich
ard, in voice so stern and indignant that
Glenn moved back step or two in sur
prise. 81 never permit any one to meddle
in my affairs, and you cannot be made an
exception. Katy has cast her lot with
mine, and her happiness is in my keeping,
not in yours"
"Not quite cast in yet" muttered Harry
Glenn, as he turned away from Richard,
whose ear caught the sentence. Its mean
ing he well understood.
On the evening of the same day Rich
ard met Katy Glenn, and noticed, with
sudden chillness about his heart, a change
in her manner. She was very dear to him.
He had loved her ever since he was a boy
lNnN,r FL, Il IL
ness on her part, no flirting with other
boys, or, as the years went on, other young
men, could diminish She was pretty,
but wayward-the very opposite to Rich
ard Cragan, who was so quiet, reserved,
and true of purpose After long series
of tender vicissitudes, of pains and dis
couragements, of hopes and fears, Rich
ard at last had the ineffable happiness of
giving her the kiss of betrothment This
happened only short time before his
fathers death.
a cloud that looked no larger than
mans hand at first now appeared in his
sky. But it grew rapidly, and in little
while filled the whole horizon, obscuring
the sky.
rs this true that | hear?" said Katy.
"What?" asked Richard his heart fall
ing like lead, for he understood what she
meant.
THAT you have given Jacob the hand
some tavern stand your father left you, and
taken that old gristmill and few acres of
poor land for your share?"
1T is true," answered Richard.
"What could have possessed you to do
this?" said the maiden, with all the beauty
in her face dying out under the hot flushes
of a selfish indignation
Because | would rather have the mill,
and earn my bread by useful work, than
burden my heart and life with evils that
are inseparable from tavern keeping"
''Pshaw" calculated Katy, in no amia-
BILE tone. "As good men as you have kept,
and still keep tavern. Are you better than
your fatherg"
81 don't set up as being better than any
one, Katy" replied the young man, whose
face had become very pale; 81 only deter
mine for myself what | ought or ought not
to do If had not let my brother take
the Red Lion it would have made no diff.
ference as to my own future-I should
have sold it and put the money in farm,
or something else by which could make
a living"
Katy bit her lips, and looked angry and
disappointed
81 will never consent" he resumed, "to
bring up a family amid the baleful asso-
CldtOHo VI u tdNcIu' IheIe dIe Ouly TWO
of us left out of six brothers. -Four of
them died years ago-and it is better that
they died. Oh, Katy try to think and
feel as do. The mill has good run of
custom. | shall improve it in many ways,
and double its capacity. We shall get
along well-trust me for that, and be, oh,
so much happier! AS for me, | should
have a restless, miserable, guilty feeling
all the time if / kept tavern, and sold
drink TO the young men of our place
hurting ALL and doing good to none"
And he shuddered at the bare thought
of such responsibility
Gas you like" answered Katy, in a chill
ling voice. But, one thing is certain, Pm
not going to be cooped up in the little
plgeon-house over at the mill, you may
count on that as settled"
II will have it done up new all over,
and make 1t the incest place in the world"
said Richard.
"But you'll never put me into it," cried
Katy, with sudden passion in her voice.
You are surely not in earnest, Katy"
demonstrated Richard
81 surely am" she replied, tossing her
head in a way that hurt and amazed the
bewildered young man.
Richard Cragan sat quiet and still for
long time. Then, rising slowly, and with
a quiver of pain running over his pale
face, he put out his hand to Katy. She
let hers fall into his coldly not returning
by the slightest motion the pressure he
gave.
Goodnight, Katym
The girl would never have known the
voice as that of her lover
"Good-nightw Not pulse Of feeling
beat in her tones.
Richard turned slowly away and left the
house-but all the while, as he went far
ther and farther from her, his ear heark.
ened for her voice breaking out into re-
pentant cry, but hearkened in vain
1t was all over with Richard and Katy.
The selfish, hckle and worldly.minded
glowed in the heart of this young man,
broke off her engagement, and in less than