The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-07-01
DIR. DEDLING'S MISTAKE.

TO-
"Of course" said Judith and, n
she spoke the words, n cold chill scclnct
TO creep, like slowy-congealing ice
around her whole heart.
of you had consulted me as to youl
affair, went on the young man, Gin
stead Of taking this extraordinary step
entirely without advice or council"
"Ycs, / know" hTriedly mtcrposcd
Judith "but it's over and past now, ~
perhaps we had better not talk about it.
The red winter sunset was blazing
with sullen fire above the cedar cOpsc in
the west the lcailess woods held NJ
their black arms, in sort of wrestling
agony toward the sky, MS the bleak winds
tossed them to and fro, and solitary
raven uttered his ominous croak in the
woods at the back Of the house.
DR.. Dcdling shuddered AS he looked
around him, and glanced ont toward tho
dreary swamp that extended toward tho
east.
"Such place," he said "for lady
TO select to live i'll p
at isn't very cheerful" said Judith,
"but have lived here all my life, you
know"
"The more reason for wanting to get
out Of it now" said the doctor. impa-
tiently
Judith was silent. She looked Mt the
blazing logs in the old-fashioncd hearth,
and tried TO keep back the fa5t-rising
tears.
DR.. Dedling arose and took up his hat.
"Then ] am to consider that our en-
gagcmcnt is quite at an cnd?' said the
doctor.
eyes," said Judith, in u very low tone
"Good-byl" said Dr. DcdIing
"Good-by |" responded Judith.
The next moment she was alone with
the logs, and the crickcts chipping on
the HEARTH and the strange, weird shad-
ows that came and went on the wainsCOt-
ted walls.
II was just n month tonight since they
had buried old Miles Grey ont Of sight,
Little Judith, who had worn herself out
in taking care Of him, had dropped Il
few tears on tho cheap coffin that in
cased his remains, but no one else had
semcd particularly to grieyc.
Mrs. Pytchley, her eldest sister, who
was married to New York grocer, had
boldly declared that it was high time the
old man took himself of the stage OF
this world, and had made no secret ii
her disappointment when it was dis.
covered that 81 600 in gold pieces repre-
scented all his boarded wealth, with the
exception of the cranberry swamp, upon
whose dreary verge stood tie house and
this drcary property, by the terms Of The
will, was to be divided between his tive
nieces, Judith Gray and Martha Pytch-
10y, as they themselves might agree.
"Ill take the ready money, said Mr.,
Pytchlcy, hastily. "What could ! do
with three or four miles of cranberry
swamp"
"Or, what could Judith do with il,
either2" said Hobart Pytchlcy, who sat
whiting pine stick beside the fire.
al dare say she could manage very
nicely" said Martha. I've heard Uncle
Miles say that he sold 500 worth OF Gran,
berries one year out Of the swamp"
"Humph" gruntcd Mr.. Pytchly.
"And tlmt's legal interest on 81, 600,
you know" added his wife. "What do
you say, Judith"
at makes no difference to me, snid
Judith, quietly.
at does to me, then p said Mrs.
Pytchloy because, as you know very
well, Hobart's business is in the city,
and We could do nothing Mt all with a
lot Of swamp land down here in the back
woods"
So Mrs. Pytchlcy had taken the lions
share Of the old mans requests and
gone back to her city home, over Ho-
bart's grocery; and young DR.. Dedling,
who had confidently calculated on ut
least $500, TO buy surgical Instruments
to fiji up IN office in the village adjoin-
ng-$500 as the dowry of his bride
elect-broke his engagement in II piquc
that Judith should have so deliberately
flung her fortune away.
"A set of sharpers r. cried he, with
disgust.
"Stop, DR.. Dedlingw said Judith,
coloring up. You forget that you are
speaking of my sister and her husband. "
"But they had no business to impose
on You thus p exclaimed the doctor
IL agreed to the plan without remon
STRANGE"
DIR. Dedling shrugged his shoulders.
I'm that" said he, sharply, "you
showed your lack of sense If you had
no good regard for yourself, you might
have had some for me T.
"Was it for my money You wanted
mep" demanded Judith, stung to the
quick.
DR.. Dedling colored and hestated.
"a man must take monetary matters
into consideration. he said.
And so 1t came about that the engage
ment was Cancelled, and Judith Grey was
sitting there alone in wintry twilight,
silently, with clasped hands and head
dropped upon her breast.
Doctor Dedling plodded home to the
village, and as he passed the brilliant
OF the little hostelry he paused,
the bitter cold of the winter
.ir, the frosty influence of the breeze.
~ may as well 60 in and warm my
'elf, thought he.
Mine host met him with CHEEKY air.
"Walk in, doctor; walk in!" said he
Not that room, as Dedling mechanic
lily laid his hand upon the door-knob of
he apartment he usually entered. "The
Railway Committee is q sitting there.
This way, il you please"
"The Railway Committee |" echoed
)edlinR.. "Whas Railway Committee?
lou don't mean that they're actually
aking any steps about the old idea of
ailway between here and Glassville?"
"Yes, / do, said the landlord. "It's
committee Of rich capitalists. as are
'uilding factories close TO the Falls; and
hoy mean to put up row Of tenement
ouses ali along, and would lay down
ne Of rails; and don't say I mentioned
!, doctor, because I only caught q snatch
are and there, when / was carrying in
10 plates, and setting on the fruit, and
1ts, and wine-but it's to go right
rough old Miles Grey's cranberry
ramp, the railway isl And the Chair
an 4 0oinO In ofyar Miss .Tudith tx OOO