The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-11-17
REGAINING A FARM.
How sharper than serpent's Tooth Ii
In To Have n Thankless Child"

now Snhfper IMAM SeTpeuts Aootu ~
In To Have n Ihankless child
from the New York Neroury.l
While resident of q country neigh
borhood in the vicinity of st. Louis, in
the year 1860, an incident was related
to me by an aged gentleman living there,
strongly illustrative of the unnatural ac-
ton on the part of children, exhibited
80 wondrously by him who appeared to
understand every passion in the human
heart in the play of King Lear" Who
has not wept over that play Who has
not innately cursed those fiendish
daughtersI t" Mr.. -" said the old
man, "this farm on which / live, and
which, thank God, now own, is prob
ably as valuabie as any in Missouri. 1t
is worth to-day $4,000. Well, 1 once
sold it, or rather gave it away, with all
the stock thereon and everything L had
IN the world, tc my daughter Mary, on
conditions that j should have home
with her and be maintained during my
life. Mary had recently married, and
she and my son-in-law lived with me in
the house. i WAS then 60 years old, and
wished to be relieved from the cares Of
farming. Mary 8 husband appeared to
be an energetic business man, and both
him and my daughter seemed kind and
considerate toward me. So, as / said
before, L made deed to Mary of all my
property. Not month elapsed ere L
knew marked change in their conduct
toward me. John, the husband, became
morose and ill-mannered, while Mary
never INDUCED in any demonstrations of
affection. II / wanted horse to ride,
they were at work if 1 desired new
shirt made, my daughter was too busy
If L wanted more wood ON the
fire, it was too warm already if
l wished additional clothing to my
bed, there YVES none to spare. / men
ton these as among some OF the
vexations to which l was subjected. In
a few weeks afterward, Johns sister,
from st. Louis, came on visit i; she
was given the room l had occupied for
thirty years, and was turned into a
narrow little chamber. But the sum OF
my unhappiness was to come. One day,
on returning from ride, observed
the horse to be sick. John charged me
with maltreating him. One word led to
another, and was struck to the floor
by Mary's husband. God, thought
/, show can endure this lifes' That
night, ON going to bed, 1 resolved on a
plan of relief, if it possibly could be
secured. l walked over to my nearest
neighbor, ever warm friend, who had
long known of the wretched life was
leading, told him of my plan, and de-
sired him TO co operate in carrying il
out. What l proposed to do was this !:
Mr.. Warren was to go with me 10 Johns
house, and desire to see the deed made
TO Mary; he wanted to know about the
lines between the respective farms. CT
knew, thank heaven, that John had not
yet had it put on record.) Well, we
went together as agreed, and John, for
once off his guard, handed over the
deed TO MIR. Warren. We sat by the
great log fire. which WAS roaring up the
chimney. My friend glanced over the
document, and, watching his oppor-
t'Inity, handed it to me-; and, while
Johns back was turned, plunged the
instrument into tho flames and sprang
10 my feet, exclaiming, / own my farm
again am free / am free Z John
knew instinctively what had occurred.
he saw the chalred remains of the decd
flying up the chimney. He cursed me
with all the bitterness of which he was
capable, and Mary joined with him. L
should probably have been killed had
not Mr.. Warren been present. That
night / slept in my friends house, and
in the morning sent word to John and
Mary that would give them $4,000 if
they would ut once leave the farm and
st. Louis county forever. They ac-
cepted the offer, and moved to Texas,
| Init whathar dead or alive now I know
not"