The Osceola times., 1879-11-08


railway between here and Glassville"
"Yes, do" said the landlord. "1ts a
committee of rich capitalists, as are
building factories close to the Falls, and
they mean TO put up rows of tenement
houses all along, and laydown a line OF
rails, and-don't say as l mentioned 1t,
doctor, because i only caught a snatch
here and there, when / was carrying in
the plates, and setting on the fruit, and
nuts and wine-but it's to go right
throuh old Miles Grey's cranberry
swamp, the new railway Isl And the
chairman of the committee is goin' TO
offer Miss Judith five thousand dollars
in good, clean, hard money for her share
in IT,"
Doctor Dedling stared.
"Five-thousand-dollars" repeated
he slowly.
Could II really be fact? If so-and
there seemed very little reason for
doubling it-what fatal mistake had he
made in rejecting bride who could
bring the rich portion of q cranberry
swamp as her dover. If he had known
this half an hour-one little half-hour-
agol
Don't fret about him, Judith dear,
he isn't worth it," urged honest Marina
duke Redfeld, who had stopped on his
way TO the post-ofiice to bring message
from his mother. "He was always q
pretentious sort of fellow, all for out
ward show, with heart like a stone,
and nature as shallow as Deacon Do
ler's brook.w
Judith looked up Mt the clumsy, good
hearted, hard-handed farmer, and Won
dered that she had never before noticed
what true face, and what clear, frank
eyes he had.
Forget him, Judith pleaded Red
field; and she began seriously to think
that she would at least make the trial.
"Come over to our house and stay with
mother. It's too bleak and lonesome
for you here-for the present, at least.
Spring will be here time enough for
you to come back to the cranberry
swamp"
Judith Grey looked around at the soli-
tary room and thought of Mrs. Redfeld's
big, cosy kitchen, with its bright-colored
rag-carpet, its windows lined with
blooming geraniums and its shrill-voiced
canary bird hanging over the work.
table.
"Do you think" she hesitated, that
you mother would be willing to be trou-
bled with such guest as me ?"
Duke Redfeld's face instantly became
radiant.
Only try her." said he; dear Ju-
dith, you'd be as welcome as the flowers
in Mayp
And the next day Mrs. Redfeld came
over in the old farm carry-all to
claim her guest, and the old Swamp
House was left to its own dreary
desolation and the driving SHOWS of
January.
Scarcely three weeks had elapsed
when young DIR. Dedling came to the
Redfield farm in his new gig, with
the old roam horse, that really made
quite good appearance when you did
not hurry him and when the road was
tolerably good, and he was free from a
visitation of what is commonly known
as the "heaves."
"There amt nobody sick here" said
julius Brown, the hired man, who was
splitting wood at the side of the house,
as he eyed the physician rather suspi-
ciously.
No; l know that, my man" said Doc
tor Dedling; but I've called to see Miss
Grey"
"Miss Grey amt noways ailin' as
knows Of" persisted julius, feeling the
edge of his axe, and still staring hard at
the medical representative of Glass
Vile.
81 have called" said Doctor Dedling,
"as friend"
"Ohw said julius.
"Will you be so kind as to let me in ?''
persisted the doctor.
'"Tain't no use" said julius, rolling a
prodigious pine knot down from the
pile, and preparing himself for a
stupcndous effort; there amt nobouy to
home"
"Nobody at homew echoed the doc
tor.
They've all gone to church." explain.
ed julius.
"To church, man? Why this is Tues
dayr'.
"Who said it wa'nt?' retorted Julius
"They amt gone to hear sarvice-they
are gone TO be married"
"Who ?"
"why, our Marmaduke and Miss Ju.
dith."
And down came the axe upon the
end of the pine knot with crash that
made the man of medicine start back
wards
The new railroad was duly construct
ed, directly across the boggy depth OF
old Miles Grey's cranberry swamp, and
the S., 1000 was placed to Mrs. Marina
duke Redfield's account in the nearest
national bank, and Mrs. Pytchlcy thinks
she has made mistake in taking the
gold eagles instead of the cranberry
swamp-but young Dtctor Dedling
thinks his mistake was greater still"