The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1874-11-19
A Beleaguered Home.

1t y as the last letter in the post-bag
that brought the news Of our ruin as
We sat at breakfast, with the windows
open to the ground, looking out on
the sunny lawn, silver streak OF riv-
er beyond, and the mountains shin
ing blue in the distance. Tne first
day of spring, balmy and revivifyinx.
am no believer in preseDtiments ;
misfortune descends upon us un-
sWares, without warning or fore
shadowiDg, and the house, beautiful
of our hopes, is swept into ruin.
We had been very happy In ouT
married life, little more than twelve
month old, with everything seeming
Iy clear and bright before US. And
now all was doubt and gloom /; our
means had vanished into thin air.
Ali my fortune that had been my
mothers, aud that my father, a colo
mel in the Indian army, had generous
ly resigned to me, was invested in the
Lahore and Delhi Bank, and that had
collapsed into ruin.
we uad seLIIeu In Wales on our
marriage, where 1 took pleasant lit
tie house situated on q sunny slope OF
bill overlooking the valley well
sheltered by trees, embOwered in tiow-
ering shrubs, and covered with creep
ers quite an idyllic little place. ]
had made up my mind to buy it, but
the owner required such heavy price
| for it, that i hesitated about with
drawing any OF my capital from au
| in vestment where the return was 50
handsome as in our bank and now II
was ali gone.
had no profession, either, to fall
back upon I had served for a few
years in my fathers corps, but the
climate of India did not suit me, and
as was an only child, and we had
ample means, / retired and came
home at the colone's wish. Then
married my old playmate and my
! fathers ward, Jane Hammond. to his
great delight, he promising himself tC
complete another two years service,
anu tuen to come home and live with
| his son and daughter.
While I was reading the letter an
bouncing the fatal news, Jane saw by
my face that sOmething dreadful bad
occurred. lis it papa ?' she cried,
for she always called my father thus
''has anything happened to him D.
She seemed absolutely unmOved when
/ tUld her that nothing had hsppened
but the loss of all our means.
| There is q kin0 of excitement about
misfortune, when it first comes upon
US, that eases off q Certain portion ol
the shock. We were quite gay oveI
it, remember, that Iirst day. We
were young, With the world before us
/ We must descend into the arena O
life aud fight our way TO success
Hitherto we had been spectators only
for the future we must be actors
| heart and soul. We would sell of
everything here and go to London,
where / must try for employment
Jane would go out as daily govern
ess.
One circumstance interfered with
any plans of immediate activity OIL
ber part. We were daily, almosi, eX
pectIng the advent Of a young strang
er; and that must be got over first
Tben there were several other hinder
ances. We had the house upon oul
hands for another six months at least
Something could be done about th'
house at once. my wife suggested
We could write to our landlord anC
ask him to take it of our hands, or K
accept a specified sum in lieu of no
tice. With an impulse OF newborn
activity, sat down 70 write the not
at once. Unexpected misfortunes,
wrote, had put IL out Of my power tC
occupy q house at such rent any
longer. Would my landlord kindly
consent to some arrangement for re
lieving me of q portion of my respon
sibiIity "He must do it; he's sur,
10 do IL for his own sake" said Jane
decidedly. 'tH he won't, We'll put 4
chimney-swsep In the house, or tn,
travelling tinker" But l didn't fee
quite so certain, knowing that land
lords are usually tenacious of thei
rights.
Our landlord was not 8 native-borI
Welshman, but retired attorne!
from one OF the large towns, who hsI
bought the property at 6 bargain, anC
was bent upon making the most on
of it. He lived in 3 small eottag
about quarter Of q mile away, witt
g rather Oold faced hOusekeeper. h
and I were friendly enough, but Jan
would never take the slightest notieI
of the housekeeper, and think th'
young woman resented this hauteur I
little. Mr.. Tranter-Ihzt was m,
: landlords nAme-evidently though
me q good tenant, for l had spent
good deal Of money in putting thing
| to rights about the house, which hat
been before in rather . neglected con
dition. paid rather y high rent 70
the place, as rents went IN that out
of-the.way locality-ninety pounds
year, paid haif-yeariy. Tne custom
was in those parts to pay the rent oI
. specified day, 3 good while after
was due. Thus the Lsdy-day rent
would be paid late in June, and tn
Michalmas about December.
Was great simpleton, though
aftervArd, to write such 3 letter 70
there is no need for q man to trnmpe
his misfortunes, which get wind 500
enough without his aid. ButI had .
that time a stupid kind Of confdenc
in the good will Of people about me
. engendered by careless, good-natuI
ed temper, Of which &c has taken
good deal Of experience to rid me.
The day following that on whicl
the sad news came was the 18th c
March. ALI the sunshine was gon
now q chill north-easter blowing
all the excitement, too, attending on
misfortune was over and the cold
dismal reality clearly visible. Th
news of our trouble had got aooui
. through the medium OF Tranter an
Com pany, no doubt Every ones
least so we faDcied-looked queeFiy Q
!. us; (; q shower of unrememoered it'll
bills came drifting In upon us. In to