Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-09-14
The Cranberry SWamp.

vi course, sal0 young DoCtO1 O0"
ling, "a man has his own fortune TO look
to-
of course said Judith Grey; and as
she spoke The words, cold chill SEEM
ed to creep, like slowly congealing ice,
around her whole heart.
IF you had consulted me as to your
affairs went on the young man, IN
stead of taking this very extraordinary
step, entirely 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 leahess tree 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 uttered his omlncus croak
in the woods at the back OF the house.
Doctor Dedling shudGered as he look
ed around him, and glanced out toward
the east.
Such a place. said he, fora woman
to elect to live in y
1T isn't very cheerful said Judith;
'bnt I've lived here all my life, you
know
The more reason for wanting TO get
out of it now,' said the doctor, lm-
patiently.
Judith was silent. She looked at the
blazing logs on the old-fashioned hear'h
and tried 10 keep back the iast-rlslug
tears.
Doctor Dedllng rose and took up his
hat
Then l am to consider that our en-
cacement is quite at an end 2 said The
doctor,
Yes replied judith, in a low tone
Il shall always wish you WE'LL SAID
the doctor, afTably.
Il thank you,' said Judith.
'Good-byr SAID Doctor Dedliug.
sGood.by! 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 came and went on
the wainscoated walls.
II was just a month tonight since
they buried old Miles Grey out OF sight.
Little Judith, who had worn herself out
in taking care Of him, had dropped a
sincere tear on the cheap coffin that
| incased bis remains, but no one else
had seemed particularly to grieve.
Mrs. Pytchley, her elder sister, who
was married to a New York grocer,
had boldly declared that 1t was high
time her uncle took himself off the stage
Of this world, and bad no secret of her
disappointment when it was dlscoyere d
that thousand dollars in gold pieces
represented all his boarded wealth.
with the exception of the cranberry
swamp, upon whose drea.y verge stood
the house; and this property, by the
terms of the will, was to be divided be =
tween his two nieces, Judith Grey and
Maria Pytchley, as they themselves
might agree.
'rn take the money said Mrs.
pvtchlev. hastily. what could l do
with three or four miles OF cranberry
swamp a-
'Or What could Judith do with IT.
either?' said Hobart Pytchley, who
was whiting a piece pine stick beside
the fire.
i dare say she could manage very
nicely,. said Maria. 'I've heard uncle
Miles say that he sold sixty dollars
worth Of cranberries one year out OF the
swamp
| .Humph!' erunted Mr.. p tchley.
| And that's legal interest on a thou'
and dollars, you know added his wife,
I'what do you say, Judith a.,
Is makes no difference to me- sald
Judith, quietly.
1T does to me, then!' said Mrs
pvtcbley. 'becauso, as you know very
well. Hobart's business is In the city
ana W. could do nothing at all with a
hot Of swampy land down here In the
backwoods.' :.
40 Mrs. Pytchley had taken the lion
sbore Of the old mans bequest' anc
coma back to her city home over
uobarts grocery store, aud young Doc
TOR Dedlipg, who bad confidently calc"'
,o,ed on at least five hundred dollars
10 buy surgical instruments and nt W
an office in the village adjoining--hve
hundred dollars as the dowry OF hi
hride .elect-broke his engagement in q
| fit of pique that Judith should have sc
deliberately flung her fortune away
"A set Of harpiesi' cricd he, with DIS
.r.on doctor Dedling !, said Jndlth