The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-07-09
THE FORGER.
BY HATTIE f S. cREssY.


Is awfully in debt, and will fail before
long, for a certainty; but she is going to
have her silks-two new ones-she told
us, didn't she? And going to Newport,
and all that. Dear me, never saw the
like of it -
"You speak my mind exactly, Miss
Sterling. L, too, think it shame for
her to be spending so much money when
they are, as you may say, living on other
folks money now.
"Well, am glad / have not got any
husband to ruin, resumed the former.
81 have my own snug little income, and
i Just make out TO live on it, and, as for
spending more, wouldn't if had to
live on bread and water. This getting
into debt and then sponging a living out
of other people is something L could
never endure.
"And it is thing my husband never
would do, nor allow me to-" proudly
added Mrs Bramston. But there are
thousands of people just like Mr.. and
Mrs. Ramsay, who don't care cent
where the money comes from SO they
can keep up appearances themselves. !"
"And Mt last pretend to fail and pay
"Thats SO, Miss Sterling; and am
not sure but we do wrong by showing
such ones the least respect.
This conversation passed between two
ladies who had just been to call on Mrs.
Ramsay. Miss Sterling, particularly,
was greatly exercised on the subject,
and ON her arrival home she still further
relieved her mind by discussing the
matter with her aunt, a vinegar-taced
,spinster of rs, who joined in with her
completely in denoumcing the conduct
of Mrs. Ramsay.
"She belonged to the quality before
she was married. said the old lady !;
"'was brought up to do nothin' and to
he good for nothin', and allus had every
thing she wanted, for she was an only
darter, and old Squire Prior was dread
full proud on her. L spose she was
pretty hansum, but what was the use of
maxim fool on her for that a? Han
sum is that hansum dooz, and if she
had took hold and lent to work, and to
help get hvin, for her father want
very rich, it would have been more to
her circuit than to set idle and try to
keep up SO much fashion. Wal, Burt
Ramsay married her, though the old
Squire opposed it becos the young man
want rich enough to suit him, but Burt
promised to support her in style, if he
had to work his fnger-nails off, and l
spose he's tried to dew it. "
"Well, auntie, they say he is inclined
to be even more extravagant in his own
expenditures than she is. His fast
horses, club, billiard, cigar and cham
payne bills foot up pretty fast, but L
blame her for not setting him a better
example by being economical herself,
when she must know he is so involved
in debt.
"How can she, Melinda, when her
mind is so sot on havin' everything she
sees, and she never was brought up to
be savin'i i'll anything? ?"
Well, L suppose it would be hard
lesson for her to learn, but the time may
come when she will have to"
81 hope twill, Melinda, for there's
no use er flynn rig in the face of Bible
doctrine, SIGH as livin on the substance
of others, and spendin' all body can
git in riotous livin' L hope they'll be
punished fort, there ~
They surely will, aunt, in the world
to come, if not here /; SO the most we can
do is to pray that they may be turned
from the error of their ways before it is
,everlastingly too late. -
Eyes, you're in the right on t,
Melinda; it beats all what a good
scripter-lovin' girl you are, and, if 1
pray for them, [ shall ask God to make
them just like you, careful about many
things Amt that the way it reads ?"
- Yes, aunt, the Savior said Martha
was careful and troubled about many
things, and l suppose it may well be said
that L am"
The old lady now yawned, and the
conversation ceased.
Three weeks from that day, however,
it became more animated than ever, for
Burt Ramsay had just been arrested for
forgery. A Sheriff seized him just as he
had seated himself in railway car and
was about to make his escape. In de-
fault of $4,000 bail he was lodged in
jail. His forgeries amounted to over
800, 900, and on this and other money
he had borrowed he and his wife had
been living i'll style to suit them.
Over this disclosure the little town of
Drayton was thrown into state of excite
ment heretofore unequaled. Old Mrs.
Collins declared she did not feel the least
hit sorry for Mrs. Ramsay, and Miss
Sterling, her niece, was posted of to her
house to reprove her for the course she
had taken. She found the lady in tears
and apparently in the depths of humilia-
ton, which was rather gratifying to her.
And to further harrow up her feelings
she said, "Mrs. Ramsay, everybody is
blaming You for your extravaganza, and
say that is the cause of your husbands
downfall" This brought on violent
fit of weeping, which was what her per-
secutor wanted, but after while the af-
fiicted lady wiped her eyes and said :
d" Although / wish to share equal blame
with my poor husband, 1 will say l knew
no more about the state of his finances
than either of my little chill
dren. L supposed he was somewhat in
debt, but thought his business so flour
ishing there was no danger of failure.
A. L : II