Middletown transcript., 1875-04-10

- shadow had fallen over the brightnes
Of her joy
"Your mother weuld like to look il
=; at us now, my darling" said Harry
glancing round the pleasant room again
~ know she will think this house
bargain when she sees it, Six rosml
and garden-a good sized garden. too
:. and all for two thousand dollars p
''ABd the pretty furniture, Harry
All paid for. too. That is the best o.
all and very good, substantial furni.
ture it is," replied his wife.
Eyes | was determined that il
! should be paid for, on the nail. What
sticks l have about me must be my
own"
!, "Oh, Harry! How can you call our
nice new things sticksr'
''Chairs and tables, then, child l
got good discount, by the way. be-
cause | paid cash down. wish
could have done the same by the house.
l might have had it two hundred dol
| lars cheaper However, if we are care
full of our expenses, chickakiddy, we
shall soon clear off the mortgage. It
is only nine hundred dollars"
m
The fancy work dropped from Mar
garet's hands
mine hundred dollars !" she said,
turning little pale. "A mortgage /!
On this house, Harry?"
"On whose house should it be p
said he. laughing. why, you look
as scared as if had stolen the house,
child p
81 thought it was paid for p
How on earth did you suppose l
could pay such sum down, and buy
the furniture as well ?" be answered,
sharply. II can tell you it took every
cent had in the bank, as it is."
but the house expenses! What
shall we do about them ?" asked she,
looking bewildered
He laugh he'd again
"Is there no such thing as credit,
Margaret ?"
She was silent.
''Get whatever you want at the
shops, child or course you must be
as economical as possible; but still we
will live, you know Once in three
months, or once in six months, I'll set
tie the bills. Then whatever we have
over shall 60 towards clearing off this
mortgage that seems to be such bug
bear in your eyes"
81 will save in every possible way,
Harry said she earnestly. "It is
foolish, l suppose, but a mortgage is a
bugbear to me. Father had a heavy
one on bis farm, Harry, and the first
thing I remember as little child is
seeing him sitting on the granary stair
case near the big barn, sighing and
groaning to himself. was frightened,
and ran and told mother, and she kissed
me and began to cry because she said
the interest was due on the mortgage
money that week, and poor father was
unhappy because he could see no way G
to pay it."
"And did be pay it ?" questioned
Harry, somewhat interested.
"Yes. He borrowed the money some
where. and then, Of course, there was
the interest to pay on that; and so it Z
went on, from bad to Sorse, till father
died, and the farm went back to its
owner. Mother said it had fairly wor-
ried him into his grave" she added, q
wiping the tears from her eyes. ."You
cannot wonder if l am afraid Of mort
cages after that"
But, pet. the two cases are entirely 9
different" said her husband, kissing }
her cheek "Your father was poor a
farmer, and found it almost impossible
to raise money. I dare say. Now l am 8
4 thriving merchant, and, if all goes u
we'll. l hope to make enough the CON- 81
ng year to clear our home Don't you
zee. Come, don't think of trouble any 6
more. Be as careful as you can in the
house expenses, and you will find that "
We shall own our pretty home, clear of 81
ny claim, before you know where you u
lre." A
He drew her down to the wide GRIM Of
ION footstoel before the FIRE. and resting it
Ter head upon his knee. began to read Ia
loud N
The fire and lamp sburned clearly, lo
he pretty French clock on the mantel- 81
'iece ticked musically, and rang out its l
airy chimes once before bis voice ceas- b,
d to echo in her ear. The book was a,
lively and pleasant enc, and Margaret
vas able to discuss it with him intelli- -,
,ently as they fingered before the blaze y,
or one delicious half hour. before going
lp stairs.
Yet all the while her thoughtful eyes A
we're seeing visions in the crimson Goals, =;
md her heart and brain were busily at =,
york. devising plans to ward off the h,
vii that, to her, seemed to be threaten m
ng the peace and comfort Of their little 30