Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-29
THE CRANBERRY SWAMP.


''Of course" said young Doctor Ded-
ling, "a man has his own fortune to look
to-"
"Of course" said Judith Grey; and as
she spoke the words cold chill seemed
to creep, like slowly congealing ice,
around her whole heart.
"It you had consulted me as to your
affairs" went on the young man, Tin
stead of taking this very extraordinary
step, entirely without advice or coun-
sell"
''Yes, I know" hurriedly interposed
Judith; shut it's over and past now, so
perhaps we had better not talk about it."
The req winter sunset was blazing
with sullen fire above the cedar Copse in
the west, the leahess woods held up their
black arms in sort Of wrestling agony
toward the sky as the bleak wind tossed
them to and fro, and a solitary raven ut
TERED his omInous croak in the woods
at the back of the house.
DR.. Dedling shuddered as 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 in"
SIT isn't very cheerful said Judith
"but I've lived here all my life, you
know"
"The more reason for wanting to get
out of 1t now," said the doctor impatient.
".
Judith was silent. She looked at the
blazing logs on the old-fashioned hearth
and tried to keep back the fast rising
tears,
DR.. Dedling rose and took up his hat.
"Then am to consider that our en-
gagement is quite at an endG" said the
doctor.
YES" said Judith.
II shall always wish you WE'LL" said
the doctor, affably.
II thank you," said Judith.
"Good-bye, said DR.. Dealing.
"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
wainscoted walls.
It was month tonight since they had
buried old Miles Grey out of sight. Lit
tie Judith, who bad worn herself out TAX
ing care of him, had dropped few sim
cere tears on the cheap coffin that encased
his remains, but no one else had seemed
particularly to gIleve-
| Mrs. Pytchley, her eldest sister, who
vas married to 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 cran-
berry swamp, upon whose dreary- verge
| stood the house, and this dreary proper
ty by the terms of the will was to be d.
vided between his two neices, Judith
Grey and Maria Pytchley, as they them
selves might agree.
"I'll take the ready money" said Mrs.
Pytchley, hastily. ''What could l do
with three or four miles of cranberry
| swamp"
"Or what could Judith do with it,
either9" said Hobart Pytchley, who sat
whistllng beside the fire.
81 dare say she could manage very
| nicely" said Maria. I've heard Uncle
Miles say that he sold sixty dollars worth
of cranberrys one year out of that swamp
"Humph!' grunted Mr.. Pytchley.
'And that's legel interest on thou
sand dollars, you know added his wife.
"What do you say, JudithI"
1T makes no difference to me-" said
Judith, quietly.
ut does to me then y said Mrs. Pytch-
ley. Because, as you know very wei
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 OF the old man s bequest, and gone
back to her city home, over Hobart's
grocery store; and young Doctor Ded
ling, who had confidently calculated or
at least five hundred dollars, to buy sur
gical instruments and fit up an Office il
the village adjoining-five hundred dol
lars as tho dowIy of his bride-eleet-
broke his engagement in fit of pigut
that Judith should have 80 deliberately
flung her fortune away.
"A set of harpies!" cried he, with dis
gust.
''Stop, Doctor DedliugI' said Judith
coloring up. "You forget that you ar,
speaking of my sister and her husband.
"But they had no right to impose Oh
you thus" exclaimed the doctor, impa
} tiently.
81 agreed to the plan, without remon
STRANGE.
Doctor Dedliug gave a shrug to hi
shoulders.
y SIN that" said he, sharply, "you show
ed your lack of common sensel If yo
had no regard for yousrelf, you nigh
: have had some tor mel''
"Was it Tor money you wanted me9
demanded Judith, stung to the yer
quick.
|, Doctor Bedding colored high and hes
G tated.
t "A man must take monetary matter
: into consideration" said he.
And it came about that the engag,
! ment was cancelled, and Judith Grey WI
8 sitting there, alone, in the wintry twiligl
with clasped hands and head droope
>. upon her breast.
Il Doctor Dedling plodded home to Il
village, and as he passed the brillial
windows of the hosiery, he paused, r
Numbering the bitter cold of the WI
4 try air, the frosty influence of Il
: breeze.
J Il might as well go in and warm m
f." be thought.