Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-11-16

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"Was it for money you wanted me :
demanded Judith, stung to the quick.
Doctor Dedling colored and hesitated
"A man must take monetary matters
into consideration" said he.
And so it came about that the engage
ment was Cancelled, and Judith Gray wa:
sitting there alone in the wintry twilight
with clasped hands and head dropping
low upon her breast.
Doctor Dedling plodded home to the
village, and as he passed the brilliant
windows of the little hostelry, he paused,
remembered the bitter cold of the wintry
air. the frosty influence of the breeze.
Il may as well go in and warm my
self, he thought.
Mine host met him with a cherry air
walk in, Doctor-walk inI' said he
Not that room,' as Dedling mechani-
cally laid his hand upon the door knob OF
the department he usually entered.
"The Railroad Committee is a-setting
there. This way, please: :"
The Railway Committed" echoed
Dedling. "What Railway Committee
You don't mean that they're actually
taking any steps about that old idea OF a
railway between here and Glassville =
YES. do, said the landlord. ats
committee OF rich capitalists as are
building factories close to the falls; and
they mean to put up rows of tenement
houses all along, and lay down line OF
rails, and don't say | mentioned it,
Doctor, because only caught snatch
here and there, when was carrying in
the plates, and setting on the frnit, aud
nuts and wine-but its to go right
through old Miles Grays cranberry
swamp. the new railroad is And the
chairman of the committee is goin' to
offer Miss Judith five thousand dollars in
good, clean, hard money for her share Of
it,!
Doctor Dedling stared.
"Five-thousand-dollars - repeated
he, slowly.
Could it really be a fact: If so-and
there seemed very little reason for doubt
ing it-what a fatal mistake had he made
in rejecting a bride who could bring the
rich portion of cranberry swamp as
her welded dover. If he had known
this half an hour-one little half hour
ago
Don't fret about him, Judith dear /;
he isn't worth in - arged honest Marina
duke Redfeld, who had stopped on his
way to the pos, office to bring message
10 his mother. ale was always a pre-
territorial sort of fellow, all for outward
show, with heart like a stone, and a
nature as shallow as Deacon Doler's
brook ~
Judith looked up al the clumsy, good
hearted, hard handed farmer, and won
dercd that she had never before noticed
what a true face, and what clear frank
eyes he had.
Forget him. Judith" pleaded Red
field and she began seriously TO think
that she would at least make the trial.
Come over to our house, and stay with
mother. It's too bleak and lonesome for
you here-tor the present, at least spring
will be here time enough for you to come
back TO the cranberry swamp.
Judith Gray looked round at the soli-
tary room, and thought of Mrs. Redhelds $
big coy kitchen. with its bright colored
rag carpet, its windows lined with bloom
ing geraniums, and its shrill voiced ca
nary bird hanging over the workable.
"Do you think" she hesitated THAT
your mother would be willing to be
troubled with such visitor as me -
Duke Redfeld's face became radient.
"Only try her." he said. Dear
Judith, you'd be as welcome as flowers in
May"
And the next day Mrs. Redfeld came
over in the old farm carryall to claim her
guest, and the Swamp House was left to
its own dreary desolation and the driving
SHOWS Of January.
Scarcely three weeks had elapsed,
when young Doctor Dedling came to the
Redfeld farm in his new gig, with the
old roam horse, that really made quite a
good appearance when you didn't hurry,
and the road was tolerably good, and he
was free from visitation commonly
known as the "heaves."
There amt nobody sick here" said
julius, the hired man, who was splitting
wood at the side of the house, as he eyed
the doctor rather suspiciously.
"No, know it, said Doctor Dedling;
but I've called to see Miss Gray"
Miss Gray amt noways ailin' as l
know of, persisted julius, feeling at the
edge of his AK, and still staring hard at
the medical representative of Glassville.
81 have called said Doctor Dedling,
with dignity, "as friend. :"
"Oh!" said julius.
"Will you be kind enough to let me
in" persisted the doctor.
"'Taint no use" said Julius, rolling a
prodigious pine knot down from the pile,
and preparing himself for a stupendous
effort; "there amt nobody at home"
"Nobody at home :" echoed the doctor.
They've all gone to church, ex-
planned Julias.
ITO church, man: Why it's only
Tuesday"
"Who said it wasn't retorted julius.
"They amt gone to hear service-they've
gone TO be married -
"Who:" demanded Doctor Dedling.
"Our Marmaduke and Miss Judith ~