Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-02-03
Vermont Equity.

named Brown, who owned large sheep
farm, and who, once on time, finding
himself in difficulties, came down to Bos-
ton and consulted mis- brother-in-law,
who was a lawyer, as to ways and means
of raising money. The lawyer, who was
q keen man OF business, and had money
to spare, agreed to lenA the farmer such
sums as he required, provided the latter
would give him first mortgage on the
sheep farm. The farmer assented to
this. the mortgage was duly made and
recorded, and the farmer returned home
TO Vermont with money in his pocket.
Time went on, and the farmer paid
interest promptly, the same passing
through the hands of one John Smith,
who was man of mark in the farmers
neighborhood, and had accordingly been
deputed by the Boston lawyer to receive
the interest and forward the same to
him.
at length, however, Farmer Brown,
finding little market for his wool, and
having invested in certain worthless out
living farms, again fell into difficulties,
and this time sought the, advice and as
sist 4nce of his neighbor, Smith, who,
after looking over the matter, agreed to
advance Brown certain sums and take
security, by mortgage OF the farmers
carts, wagons, horses, sheep-shears, and
other personal property, the farm itself
being already moftgaged to the Boston
lawyer
But Brown still failed to prosper, and
at length could pay interest neither to
the LAWYER nor to Smith. Then it was
agreed that his assets should be fairly
divided between the two mortgages, and
Squire Joyce, Justice Of the Peace IN
the neighborhood, who was member OF
the same church as Smith, was selected
to act as referee. The parties met at
the Squire's office, and each spoke for
himself, the lawyer first. Said he /:
have q first mortgage on the farm, duly
executed and recorded. and of course,
the farm must belong to me.
"Not much r said Smith. 81 have
q mortgage later than yours, on the per-
sonal property, and il that isn't enough
to cover my debt, / shall grab the farm
too. My equity is superior to yours.
Isn't that SO, Squire !?
The Squire hemmed and hawed and
finally said to the lawyer You con
S nted to Smiths mortgage, didn't
your"
"Neveri i" said the lawyer.
"That makes no difference" inter
rupted Smith. 81 did it for you
"Jes' so, ies' so, said the Squire. 81
remember. The whole business was
mighty simple. You jest consented as
tins Boston mans attorney to Browns
,ooIrttaer ,,ssrf nc rrsa IN vfa7. ~
|" Blu. what OF it, cried the lawyer.
"He couldn't give any binding assent
to make this mortgage better than
mine.
Perhaps not in law, said the Squire,
"but in equity, in equity, my dear sir I;
we 90 by equity here in Vermont.
!" Yes, / call it inequity," said the
lawyer, soto voce.
Besides, said the Squire, e / am in
clined to believe that it was the inten-
ton as between Smith and Brown that
the mortgage Of the carts and fixings
should include the farm too--though
the writings don't jest say SO. Wasn't
that so, Smith ?"
"Certain +" said Smith.
"But that makes no difference" cried
the lawyer, you must go by the rec
ord. I've authority on that point" and
he produced bag full of books.
"Young man cried Justice Joyce
severely. I'd have you know that this
Court isn't hide-hound by precedents.
| sit here to do equity as / understand
it. 1qtftas non scqtitur tegc'n.
Ahona -
THAT'S 50 in Vermont, by iingo "
cried the lawyer, waxing wroth.
"0rder in the court cried the
Squire. Besides, / mean to make it a
rule in my court that the last mortgage
shall always have priority. It's so with
wills, why not with mortgages? Answer
that, you Boston chap"
The lawyer was dumbfounded.
+" find on the whole case" said
Squire Joyce, summing up, "that the
farm and personally must be sold and
Smiths debt paid, no matter what be-
comes of this Boston man. And Smith.
as you say you have an interest in the
wheelrights' and hlacksmiths' shops up
to the village, and Brown owes running
account at both places, YOU just bring in
those bills and mebbe-I don't say GER
tain, but mebbe-we can fix those up il
there's any balance. !"
The lawyer took his hooks back to
Boston wiser man. Smith grabbed
the farm and sheared the sheep and said
tauntingly to the lawyer, Whatare you
going to do about it?"--Springticld
Mass Repubticnn
Waste of Horse Life.
The number of horses in the United
hoc
more than $3.50, 900, and their average
yaiue can scarcely be set down at less
than f30. Their collective value, there
fore, falls little short of G6S, 600. OOO
That the nation incurs loss if this sum
Is spent quicker than it needs to be is a
seli-eyident proposition that it is SO
spent Is certain, if horses ON an average
become useless at time when. they
ought still to be in full vigor. On this
point few will be disposed to challenge
the verdict of Mr.. w. Douglas. late
veterinary surgeon in the Tenth Illus.
sars, who tells us that a horse shou d
live from 30 to 40 years, and live actively
and nsefully during three-fourths of this
period. All authorities, he SAYS. "now
admit that animals should live five times
as long as it takes them to reach matur-
ity. A dog, which is at its full growth
when between 2 and 3 years old, is very
aged at IL years. Horses do not. unless
their growth is forced, reach their prime
until they are 7 or years Ii, which.
10y the same law, leaves them to live
some thirty years longer. When these
facts are kept in mind, together with
these other facts that three folrths Of
our horses die or are destroyed under 70
years old, that horses are termed aged
at !" lie should have said 81, sold at
10, very old when double that number
Of years, and that few of them but ara
laid up from work dozen time a wear.
the yisiousness of a system
which entails such misery and destruc-
ton Of life cannot be too strongly COM
mented upon. If we take the age of 3
years as tbNt at which horses begin 70
work, and IL as that at which they are
Worn out, it follows that the period Of
their efficiency is shorter by at least IA
Years than it should be. In other words
the nation has to buy three horses when
it ought to buy only one, and thus M
ward of 920o, Co., coo are spe,lt every
twenty-one years in the purchase of
horses, when f6s, 600, 600 ought to suf-
flee. The loss. therefore, to the nation