The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-01-28
THE CRANBERRY SWAMP.

THE CRANBERRY SWAMP:
"Of course said young Doctor Ded-
ling, "a man has his own fortune to look
to-" -,u... -
"Of course" said Judith Grey; and as
she spoke the words a cold chill seemed
to creep, like slowly congealing ice,
around her whole heart. w
''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" ..,,r....,
"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 leaaess 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 omlnous croak in the woods
at the back of the house. Il nHl ~ III
DR.. Dedling shuddered as he looked
around him and glanced out toward the
areary swamp that extended toward tue
east. t.5 49,. ....-., . ".
"Such place." said he, ''for woman
to elect to live in" ..a'. u
ut isn't very cheerful said Judith
"but I've lived here all my life, you
know" .-
1.-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. ..'t#o 5#4.@. sEtsEa
DR.. Dedling 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, atfably. r...s O.,
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 chrp-
ing on the hearth, and the strange, weird
shadows that came and went on the
wainscoted walls.
1t 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 sim
ccre tears on the cheap coffin that cncased
his remains, but no one else had seemed
particularly to grlcve.
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, and had made no secret of
her disappointment when it WAS dis
covered that q 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 dreary proper
ty by the terms of the will was to be d.
vided between his two neiccs, Judith
Grey and Maria Pytchley, as they them
selves might agree.
''1'll take the ready money!" said Mrs.
Pytchley, hastily. what could l do
with three or tour miles of cranberry
swamp"
"Or what could Judith do with it,
either?' SAID Hobart Pytchley, who sat
" listllng beside the fire
Il 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. "
"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!" said Mrs. Pytch-
ley. Because, as you know very well,
Hobart's business is in the city, and we
can do nothing at all with 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
grocery store; and young Doctor Ded
ling, who had confidently calculated on
ut least five hundred dollars, to buv sur,
gicaI instruments and fit up au office in
the village adjoining five hundred dol
lars as the dowry of his bride-eleet-
brrkc his engagement in fit of piuue
that Judith should have so Deliberately
flung her fortune away. 81 -. y r. !.
"A set of harpies!" cried he, with dis
"Stop, Doctor Dedliug!' said Judith,
colorlng up. "You forget that YOU a are
speaking of my sister and her husband,
'But they had no right to impose on
you thus" exclaimed the doctor, impa-
tiently. ~" - " s.E3. .rr@lG =
81 agreed to the plan, without renon-
STRANGE. ~, ....s.s.. IL.
Doctor Dedliug gave a shrug to his
shoulders. 90. -'..'-~0-
"In that said he, sharply, "you show
ed your lack of common sense If YOU
had no regard for yousrelf, you Nigh,
have had some tor mep'
"Was it tor money you wanted me9'
demanded Judith, stung to the very
quick. ..a, ....s srst ssgg ss
Doctor Dedling colored high and hest.
tated 81.
"a man must take monetary matters