The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-01
MAJ. SPRINGLE'S PROPERTY.
his EFFORTS TO EXCHANGE MS HOUSE
FOR SOMETHING BETTER.


/
| for sale" have had plenty Of rcplics-bush
els Of them. indeed"
Several years ago Major Srrinelo had little
money with which he spcculatcd 50 success
| fully in Brooklyn real estate that he now calls
| himself the owner of u handsome brown stone
house. for which he pays In the way OF interest
on the mortgage and taxes. far moro than hc
cvor gave for rent before he had Il house of his
own.
You Soc" the Major continued. Il was
obliged to Offer the house cheap. because II
don't get rid Of 1t very soon IT will be sold UNI
der foreclosure. fcw hundred dollars over
and above the debts upon 1t was all l asked.
| But. | think. two out Of three OF all the people
who came to sec II insisted on Offering me more
than | wanted. 1t was not money they wished to
| give mo- though: II was land. sir Fine rolling
| pasture land; the most productive farming
| land in the country: building lots. in out Of tho
way places. TO be- sure. but increasing In value
at a rate that promised TO make me million
aire In little or no time; timber land with
enough trees upon it to build feet of ships.
md much sought after by spectators and um-
Der merchants. | protested against this libcr-
ality. and offered to take. instead Of the land.
sufficient money TO enable me to move Into an
other house and pay II couple Of months rent
1t was all useless. They wouldn't hear they
said. " my doing myself this great Injustice
and added. usually. a hundred acres Of land or
SO to their original offer as soon as began to
speak Of cash.
Il think the first person who called on me was
a venerable gentleman with gray whiskcrs and
moustachc. He was evidently surprised at the
cheapncss Of tho house IIo examined II
closely. showed disposition to buy the carpets
and furniture. and said he would como again
/ the next night and give mo Il definite answer.
| The following evening II was very hot and the
old gentleman came In tanning himself. and
with the light OF hencyolenco shining in his
eyes He had proposition to make which, If
accepted IT, would lit me into aillucnce
friend Of his Ind large amount Of the choicest
land in Tennessee All day long he had
wrcstlci with iha, friend IN argument; and late
in the evening had won from him a reluctant
consent to give mo five hundred acres for the
house. provided l threw In the furniture.
shades. and carpets Tho land had heavy
growth OF timber upon H. and was worth not
and shook hands with me in u congratulatory
manner Then he s0t down again and cN-
planned that If | desired 10 use the land for
farming rurlo II would not he necessary 10
hew down the trees. All need do was To- make
an iLcisicn in the ark close o. the ground and
heAwould speedily rot ana die.
This WAS cheering Intelligence. and while !
was driving mental picture ~ myself on my
/ Knee, cutting into the bark with NV pcnkniie.
tne GA Eehtltm man VINO Sqid NJ name was Mr.
Snoyl, went IN To- tell me that | owed this great
] htNlllNlliN 10 mo fNtldNTAluuly lkllE N lNl
conceive i9r me at first sight; He bad Injured
lis friend he feared, but that Ian led gentleman
incidentally that the trees were far enough
would be an advantage il i should elect To- en-.
brace the profitable bur ness Of sheep raising.
" Do you know. the MAJOR continued with Il
slight Increase Of colorln his face. " ! believe.
my wife should lave accepted that offer. In.
deed. did accept il. as far qs to, tell Mr ,Snoyl
to call agaiH ths next night But. LORD bless
/ you. Wutn Mrs. NprllElc heard mat tho furul-
turc was { GO, she looked at me. and said: oh.
indcoA always thought you wcre m IDIOT;
added hastily she Old not speqk. You under;
it dubious about t5e bargain OfS was ab 'SI
. make myself. too. SO asked ny hrothcr-in:
h S% to e VA; Mn Nr sInSg and eHR,9 That eoTi
man was not dishedrtcned. He was with NO
early thg following evening, and after proiusely
Drive her II her my urnarS. h. 's said EiSGiy a
think you were foolish TO reject the Offer made
Which ka5e nc nit viii picase You both'
hgd ths greatest doubt ~, END g I mad some
the room WRen she Was gone feitS ior,iici
for my brother in-law was with M. Another
has sever Gudns lbs 'i in M i''i' GSnn
and h. olrrs 70 give y?uttwo for, this house and
hay AL Slh"esi IN IT, 92fSG ld oMMy Erogscr
in-lay looked az ne with dark doub, IN hi, ex.
tnc6 otntr Mr. " snov odSsI VII NV, 'l" fliSn
wants Ia addition are N sso carpets anls hal,-.'
on II was well Mrs spr!nelc was not IN the
"'whcre. my brother-in-Mw asked. arc the
lots s!iqq'cglf Are they in tie heart Of Mcrilcn
The gid gentleman coushed behind his
mana aua remarked q at they were I'm fho sub
ur's' They are worth from ssoo TO sl.o'o, he
~ wouldn't my lyo,hcr-n-law rcy'iel.
GyG iaG Iarl,2T, alcne for tho best 70, IN
Tn" sound whcl came from Mr. Snoyls
lips begun with Shrek Of rage. hut taIrr,l
link pS ny " s.d 5 yoatS ioracn
lhe ce.ohatel cutler Of McrideE. ana -
ny OH 20" TOMORROW ana IL give you. Nmr fur
tmr LViieulus; ! pr.misei. hut Twas pre-,
/ might barter away the baby cradle II went
any dc'p.r into Hl estate sprculullOus. have
The v1ry noXt iuorning was told that n
f'm il,s WnhiId 70 re IAe about me house
SOI tod the gir. t. show him up othr bedroom
reeognilel MIN the moment he came in ~
sentlemqn who lived only two doors away from
inc'hnd IN house precisely similAr o. my own.
He shook my hand warmly. and said he had
come iAcrr ~ dp m great s'rye". II this
won't got a cent cut ~ it, Now there Is "a friend
oi mine who Is willing, after iou- persuasion
upon my part. TO give you five hunArrd acres of
land IN Geur1a--' stopped lin and asked
whether The trees were lar enough apart 10
allow the sheep To- graz hetwrcn. ~ was Inc
,asr WIN me Ichncsse' properly. Why, yes.
gG saiai i9oklN@ , y pnE,e,I e9w, wght
I gAn 70 think rather seriously # going To Gcor-
Sin. But WIS still suspicious. and | injured
whether h. wante any furniture. Nothing
SAID be, nothing what Ner-eNcepung the stove
in the parlqr and the table in the hall
NOW this stove, whi'! W. had pur hased for
| On cNtruva giant price was large and handsome
lmi for any practical purpose perfectly WORTH
lo5s. II wa, Therefore, q grogt laNorIte Of my
| Wiirs, ana knew that all tLotlmbor in Georgia
could NOT c,lsoi" her If 1t was hartered away
| NlrenVrr. had no desire g. part with the hall
| table, 50 | said at One. tAut | could not en-, +
tain his proposition. Then hr was willing To
| TAX the stove without tle table. and this being
refused. he offered 10 take the table without tho
stove i really ihink.' the Major said lnelita-
| lively, That he made separate efforts t. nulrt
| ~" ui every Individual article If furniture IN
the hou-" beior h" ilnglly consented To- make
| the trade On the basis ~ the house alone. When
at nel il 'ane 10 that hc showed mo letters and
! cellllleatos from persons ia tr"orgu te~,iiying
80 enthusiastically To the mrrits ofthe land that
| felt golden opportunity hY hriore np. |
! promised to give my bcneiaetpr a decisive
answer the next day
=. That morning. before starting for Now
! YORK, received letter from "a Mr. ; ipeup. who
wanted 70 buy the house ior cash. This was
| novel offer indeed. and began 10 suspect that
/ % | i1tft