The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-02-05

Butterfield, he brought nothing into the
world, and it is certain he carried nothing
out"
81 s'pose not, as you got the hull ont"
answered the Squire, altogether misin-
terpreting Mr.. Grimp's moralizing.
"Ahem Ali, yes L presume you
allude to the foreclosing of a mortgage /
held ON his place. 1t was truly unpleas-
ant for me to do it, but duty to my chill
dren. so lately deprived of mother,
impelled me. AS the Scripture says, If
any provide not for his own, especially
for those of his own house, he hath de-
MED the faith and is worse than an in
fidel.
"Better had some keer for other folks
ophans as WELL" muttered the Squire !;
! but Mr.. Grimp did not hear, and pro-
ceeded
"Well, ut the sale of Mr.. Barney's
place l bought it in, and since then l
have let Mrs. Bar4ey have it at a nomi-
nal rent-at mere nominal rent, / as
sure you Brother Butterfield. And it is
about that L have called"
"The long and short ont is she hain't
paid the rent and you want her put
out?"
Well-yes and no. 1 wish steps
taken i'll that direction, but not to ex-
tremes. l would like process issued,
but have final measures kept in allegiance,
as think the matter may be amicably
arranged.
"That is, you want some scarecrow to
hold over her to bring her to terms ."
suggested the Squire, looking keenly at
! his visitor
Mr.. Grimp nodded. "You will at
tend to it, Brother Butterfield? he said.
"Pll tend to it, said the Squire.
Then MIR. Grimp bowed solemnly, said
Farewell, Brother Butterfield," and
passed out into the sunshine-his figure
almost too thin and dried up to cast a
shadow in the bright sunlight, yet sufii-
cient to cast moral shadow and unhap-
pi:sess over homes and lives around and
about him.
For a moment following Mr.. Grimp's
departure the Squires face was full of
chair, and his small boot-heels clattered
on the office floor as lac paced hurriedly
to and fro.
"The old skinfiint!" he muttered,
"Jest as if L didn't see through him like
a book He wants to convert the widow
into Mrs. Grimp number two, an if she
amt willin maybe she's refused him
already-he wants me to make her think
she'd better be. That's what he wants.
Ha, La l reckon there's IL widower
that Widow Barney or any other woman
would jest be proud to GIT he's not u
thousand miles off neither"-and the
Squire paused smilingly before n small
mirror, adjusted his collar, and smoothed
the few hairs carefully over the bald spot
on his head. Not so old after all and
a sight better looking than old Grimp
Guess he didn't know who he was comm
to, did he! An he wants me to sarve a
writ on Widow Barney. George! I'll
sarve it myself an git in ahead of him
Big joke it'll be on Grimp Ha, la !"
In the main the Squire was correct i'll
his cogitations To secure the lively,
pretty, sensible young widow as help
meet IN the place of the late lamented
was precisely what Mr. Glimp desired.
He had mt different times made advances
In that direction, but receiving only neg
alive replies he concluded to try mild
coercion, and "bring her to her senses"
us ne inwardly called it. Now, singu-
larry enough, the Squire also was a wild
over, and he, too, was matrimonially in
clined toward the Widow Barney. He
had never made any proposition to
that lady, thinking, III his conceit, he
had only to offer himself to he accepted
at once, and she be glad of the oppor-
tunity.
But there was incentive to immediate
ol,a - q
happen-that the widow, being ignorant
OF the Squire's intentions, might posi-
bly, throw herself away ON Mr.. Grinp /
The Squire did not like the thought, and,
as above intimated, he resolved to serve
the writ and pop the question " at the
same time. He would not delay about /
the matter either. He would do it that
very evening-that he would and then .
see the longitude Mr.. Grimp's face would /
assume. The idea pleased him greatly
He chuckled over it all through the day /;
chuclled over it on his way home in the .
evening, and at tea-timc chuckles inter-
spersed themselves throughout the meal,
much to the wonderment of the old .
housekeeper. Indeed her looks be-
tokened so much curiosity that the
Squire noticed it at Last, and after he had
swallowed the last morsel, and laid down
his knife and fork, he said
" Mrs. Crandal, I'm gOin' to git mar
RED"
"Well, now, rally - exclaimed the
old woman, almost dropping the tea-cups
in surprise. May | be go proud as to
ask who she may be Z"
Widow Barney"
"What Widder Barney Sakesy now
When We goin' to be married.
. don't know yet haven't asked her.
Goin' to do it, though. tonight
Mebbe she won't have yer observed
Mrs. Crandal rather doubtfully.
Won't have me q Me Squire But
teItield Z" exclaimed the Squire, sur
prised out of all measure at so extvaor-
binary suggestion. I'D like to- see
the woman that wouldn't jest jump ar the
chance-jest .junll, at the chance
81 dunno" said the old woman, sE,ak-
ing her head with mournful creduhty
:" these ere widders are very Onsartain-
specially the young ones-an" there n no
telin' what they'll do. Sides, there's
that young lawyer, Tom Hardwood,
seem her about good deal"