The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-01-29
THE CRANBERRY SWAMP.


around her whole heart.
"1t you had consulted me AZ to your
affairs, went on the young man, tin
stead Of taking this very extraordinary
step, entirely without advice or coun-
| sell"
"Yes, KNOW" hurriedly interposed
Judith; "but it's over and past new, SO
perhaps we had better not talk about it."
! The rea winter sunset was blazing
with sullen fire above the cedar copse in
the west, the leafess woods held up their
black arms in sort Of wrestling agony
toward the sky as the bleak wind tossed
them to and fro, and solitary raven ut
tered his ominous croak in the woods
ut the back Of the house.
DR.. Dedling shuddered rs he looked
around him and glanced out toward the
dreary swamp that extended toward the
east.
"Such place. said he, "for woman
to elect to live ill.,"
ut isn't very cheerful said Judith
"but I've lived here all my lie, you
know"
"The more reason for wanting to get
out Of 1t now said the doctor impatient
ly.
Judith was silent. She looked at the
blazing logs on the old fashioned hearth
aud tried to keep back the fast rising
tears.
DIR. Dedllng rose and took up his hat.
'Then am to consider that our en-
gagement is quite at an end?" said the
doctor.
YES" said Judith.
IL shall always wish you WE'LL" said
the doctor, atfabty.
II thank you,' said Judith.
"Good-bye e. said DR.. Dedling.
! "Good- bye" said Judith
| The next moment she was alone with
the blazing logs and the cricket chirp-
ing on the hearth, and the strange, weird
shadows that came and went on the
wainscotcd walls.
It was month tonight since they had
buried old Miles Grey out of sight. Lit
tie Judith, who had worn herself out TAX
ing care Of him, had dropped few sin
cere tears on the cheap coffin that encased
his remains, but no one else had seemed
particularly to grleve.
Mrs. Pytchley, her eldest sister, who
vas married to a New York grocer, had
boldly declared that it was high time
the old man took himself off the stage of
this world, and had made no secret Of
her disappointment when it was dis
covered that thousand dollars in gold
pieces represented all Of his boarded
wealth; with the exception of the cram
berry swamp, upon whose dreary verge
stood the house, and this dlcary proper
ty by the terms of the will was to be d.
vided between his two ncices, Judith
Grey and Maria Pytch!ey, as they them
selves might agree.
I'M take the ready money" said Mrs.
Pytchley, hastily. "What could l do
with three or tour miles of a cranberry
swamp"
'Or what could Judith do with it,
eithera" said Hobart Pytchley, who sat
whistllng beside the fire.
II dare say she could manage very
nicely said Maria. I've heard Uncle
Miles say that he sold sixty dollars worth
of cranbcrrys one year out of that swamp
"Humphl' grunted Mr.. Pytchlcy.
"And that's legel interest On thou.
sand dollars, you KNOW added his wife
"What do you say, Judith"
1T makes no difference to me-" said
Judith, quietly.
1T does to me then!'' said Mrs. Pytch-
ley. Because, as you know very we'll
Hobart's business is in the city, and we
can do nothing at all with a lot OF
swampy land, down here in the back
woods.
| So Mrs. Pytchley had taken the lions
share ct the old mans bequest, and gone
back to her city home, over Hobart's
grocery store; and young Doctor Ded.
ling, who had confidently calculated on
at least five hundred dollars, to buy sur.
gical instruments and fit up IN office in
the village adjoining-fvc hundred dol.
lars as tho dowry of his bride-eleet-
broke his engagement in fit OF pique
that Judith should have So deliberately
hungsher fortune away.
| "A set of harpies!" cried he, with dis
gust.
"Stop, Doctor Dedling!' said Judith
coloring up. "You forget that you are
speaking of my sister and her husband
you thus" exclaimed the doctor, impa
tiently.
II agreed to the plan, without remon
STRANGE.
| Doctor Dedliug gave a shrug to lii
shoulders.
"In that said he, sharply, 'syou show
ed your lack of common senscl If you
had no regard for yousrclf, you might
have had some tor me"
"Was it tor money you wanted mc?'
demanded Judith, stung to the very
quick.
Doctor Dedling colored high and hest
tated.
"A man must take monetary matters
into consideration" said he.
And it came about that the engage
ment was cancelled, and Judith Grey was
sitting there, alone, in the wintry twilight
with clasped hands and head dropped
upon her breast.
Doctor Dcdling plodded home to the
village, aud as he passed the brilliant
windows of the hostclry, he paused, re-
Numbering the bitter cold Of the win.
try air, the frosty influence Of the
breeze.
II might A. we'll 90 in and warm my.
f." he thought.
Mine host met him with II very CHEEKY
air.
"Walk in, doctor--walk in!'' said he
"Not that room," rs DedliAg laid bis
hand mechanically upon the door-knob
of the apartment he usually entered,
1.-THE railway committee is settin' there
This way, pleaser'
1.-THE railway committee?' echoed
Dcdling. "What railway committed
You don't mean that they're actually
taking any steps about that old idea OF