Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-04-28
4 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 a cold chill
seemed to creep like slowly congealed
ice around her heart.
'If YOU had consulted me as to your
future affairs" went on the young
man, instead of taking this extraor-
dinary step without advice or coun-
sell"
"Yes, | know" hurriedly interposed
Judith, "but it's over and past now,
so perhaps we had better not talk
about it..
The red 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 rest
less agony, toward the sky, as the
bleak wind tossed them to and fro
and a solitary raven uttered his omi-
nous croak, in the woods at the back
Of the house
Such a place" said he, ''for a
woman to select to live in y
at 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 it now" said the doctor, i'm
patiently.
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 end 2" said the
doctor.
"Yes," said Judith, in a low tone.
II shall always wish you well, y
said the doctor allably
Il thank you," said Judith
"Good-by - said Mr. Dedling.
"Good-by y responded Judith.
The next moment she was alone
with the blazing logs, and the cricket
chirping on the hearth, and the
strange, weird shadows that come and
went on the wainscoated walls.
1t was just a month tonight since
they buried old Miles Grey out of
sight. Little Judith, who bad worn
herself out in taking care of him, had
dropped a few sincere tears on the
cheap coffin that incased his remains,
but no one else had seemed particu-
larly TO grieve.
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 off the
stage of this world, ana made no Sc
cret of her disappointment, when it
in gold pieces represented all his
boarded wealth. with the exception of
the cranberry swamp, upon whose
dreary verge stood the house; and
this dreary property, by the terms of
the will, was to be divided between
his two neices, Judith Grey and Maria
Pytchley, as they themselves might
agree.
"I1l take the ready money" said
Mrs. Pytchley, hastily. What could
/ do with three or four miles Of Gran
berry swamp" Z"
"Or what could Judith do with
either? 2" said Hobart Pytchley. who
was whiting a pine stick beside the
fire.
II dare say she could manage very
nicely,n said Maria, 'I've heard Uncle
Miles say that he sold sixty dollars
worth of cranberries one year out of
the swamp
"Humph, - grunted Mr.. Pytchley.
"And that's legal interest on thou
sand dollars, you know" said his wife.
"What do you say, Judith 7"
at makes no difference to me"
said Judith quietly.
at does to me, then 2" said Mrs
Pytchley. because, as you know
very well, Hobart's business is in the
city, and we could do nothing with a
lot of swamp land down here in the
backwoods. :
So Mrs. Pytchley had taken the
lions share of the old mans bequest
and gone back to her city home over
IIobart's grocery store and young
Doctor Dedling, who had confidently
calculated on at least five hundred
dollars, To buy surgical instruments
and fit up an Office in the village adj
ioining-fvc hundred dollars as the
dowry of his bride-elcct-broke his
engagement in fit Of pique that
Judith should have so deliberately
flung her fortune away.
a set Of harpies " cried he, with
disgust
"Stop, Doctor Dedling!" cried
Judith, coloring up. you forgot
that you are speaking Of my sister and
her husband"
But they had no business to i'm
pose on you thus" exclaimed the
doctor.
II agreed to the plan, without re-
monstrance."
Dr. Dedling shrugged his shoulders.
'In that" said he sharply, "you
showed your lack Of common sense.
If you bad no good regard for yourself,
you might have bad some for me-"
"Was it for money you wanted me ~
demanded Judith, stY1g 70 the quick