The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-02-04


the things of earth to be but vanity and
vexation of spirit Like us all, Brother
Butterfeld, 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! All, yes! I presume you
allude to the foreclosing Of a mortgage I
held on his place. It was truly unpleas
ant for me to do it, but duty to my chill
dren, SO lately deprived of mother,
lmpelled 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
tidel.'" i
sBetter had some keer for other folks
ophans as well, muttered the Squire !;
| but Mr.. Grimp did not hear, and pro-
ceeded
"Well, at the sale of Mr.. Barney's
place I bought it in, and since then I
have let Mrs. Barney have it at nomi-
nal rent-at mere nominal rent, [ as
u.
about that / have called.
"The long and short ont is she hahn t
paid the rent and you want her put
out?"
Well-yes and no. [ wish steps
taken in that direction, but not to ex-
tremes. / 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 Butterfeld?" he said
"Tl tend to it, said the Squire.
Then Mr.. Grimp bowed solemnly, said
" Farewell, Brother Butterfeld," and
passed out into the sunshine-his figure
almost too thin and dried up to cast a
shadow in the bright sunlight, yet suffi-
Gent to cast moral shadow and unhap-
piness over homes and lives around and
about him.
For moment following Mr.. Grimp's
departure the Squire's face was full of
conflicting emotions. He arose from his
chair, and his small boot-heels clattered
on the Office floor as he paced hrlrriedly
to and fro.
"The old skinfintp' he muttered,
"Jest as if I didn't see through him like
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, ha I reckon there's widower
that Widow Barney or any other woman
would jest be proud to git; he's not a
thousand miles off neither and the
Squire paused smilingly before a 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, hal"
In the main the Squire was correct in
his cogitations. To secure the lively,
pretty, sensible young widow as a help
meet in the place of the "late lamented -
was precisely what Mr.. Grimp desired.
He had at different times made advances
In that direction, but receiving only neg
ative replies he concluded to try mild
coercion, and bring her to her senses, p"
as he inwardly called it. Now, singu-
larly enough, the Squire also was wild
over, and he, too, was matrimonially in
| al osI 4ho t.
had never made any proposition to
that lady, thinking, in his conceit, he
had only to offer himself to be accepted
at once, and she be glad of the oppor-
tunity.
But there was incentive to immediate
action. There was a chance-it might
happen-that the widow, being Ignorant
of the Squire's intentions, might posi-
bly, throw herself away on Mr.. Grimp !?
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.. Grimps face would
assume. The idea pleased him greatly.
He chuckled over it all through the day !;
chuckled over it on his way home in the
evening, and at tea-time 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
ried"
Well, now, railly!' exclaimed the
old woman, almost dropping the tea-cups
in surprise. I" May I be SO proud as to
ask who she may be? 2"
Widow Barney"
"What Widder Barney? Sakes, now
When we goin' to be married?"
=" [ don't know yet haven't asked her.
Coin to do it, though, tonight"
" Mebbe she won't have ye, observed