Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1883-11-16
JkKkY'o MORTGAGE.


Freedom itself in its perious h. light
Criss he is niue il his mien and his might!
JkRkY'> MORTGAGE.
Mrs Deaue put tie finishing touches to her
teDpdug little supper tabl, tset for three),
tucked Cissy's napkin around her neck, and
lifted her into her high char, then stepped to
the wide, cool doorway t., wa CD for her hus-
band. He came III sight long, walking
YEARLY and slowly, as II the fair summer pct
are Of MOUNTAINS ind green fields cleaned
upon eyes too sad To drik III their beau and
Significance. A man certainly not old IN Years,
but with lies Of Care about his temples, and s.
painful droop to the. mobile, sensitive mouth.
whicb showed harassing alxety---a constant,
daily struggle with at, His wife walked
down the grassy garden pate, aud took his
hand in hers:
t'You aro over tired. Jerry. / have nice
supper for you, and Cissy is full Of cunning
little ways tonight Cheer up, dear"
He looked down with s,rrDwfnl smile, and
pu. his arm around her. II am 'ired to-nigh',
Louie,--tirad aud di outraged have been to
Cyrus once more. but"
His voice broke, aud I. ,uie claspea his hand
more firmly, and raised it to hor iipa:--
"Neyer m nd telling me, my dear I can
guess IL He is determined tc foreclose the
mortgage'"
She walked silently up and down the path
with him
"My own brother, Louie! 1t docs seem as
II he might glva US anu'hrr chance, but you
know how he is abont mon y. Since he mar
ried that second wife Of his he seems harder
THAI ever. Honest he is--~no mau could ever
SAY that Cyrus Wronged him If q cent but
war TO the knife to ge' his own!'
They entered The kit hen, where Cissy wa
beating drum rolo ON her tin plate, and cast
ing eager glances at The plate Of fresh ginger
bred. "Papas baby" sail Jarry, and bent
down to kiss h*r He sighed heavily as h.
took his seat, while tear stole down his
cheek.
'sUgly man-to make my papa cry" said
Cissy, doubling up her small fist ''I--L-jes'
kill himl'
The tour-y ears-old tot had gathered enough
from her parents daily Converse ioa to kuow
that they we're in some trouble connected with
80 man whom abe remembered to have seen
few days before at thelr house. He had talked
loudly and fast and the mental Photograph left
on the waxen tablet Of that lnfant soul would
have made an angel weep.
'sHush-sh, Clssy Mammals daughter mustn't
talk 80. She should be getie little "Trip
and Ionic etroked the little fist till it slowly
uncurled
MARIN Best told me to-day thst Cyrus has
Just bought another y Ike o. oxen. and $500
buggy!" sAidJerry, bitterly, as he took forced
swallow Of tea.
"Well," said his wife. ''1t can't be helped,
anything may be sorry for. / know it's
hard--ils hardl" and her iD+ qnivsred, as sha
looked around the neat, home-hke XII; chen. and
glanced beyond il to the vine-wrauthed viii
dow Of the bsd-ro IN VII re her baby's eyes
had first opened % the li2lc 'sYou know diff
ferent people have difs aut maks-ups." a
great sob rose In her throat,- gave one
look at Cissy-s rugged to restrain her feel
ings, but the flood tide of grief must have
way, and, rushing to Jerry, she casrel her
arms about his neck, aud burst into tears, just
as shadow fell acroas the doorway. and a
visitor eutersd' y y
In the mornlng sunshine. in the corner Of a
nourishing field hear q thrifty looking white
frame house surrounded bv substantial out
buildings, man with p bushV red beard, and
small. weasel-ike, gray eyes, was ho7ng corn:
He was 80 busy that he leiher saw nor heard
the npproaoh of footsteps to fhe fehca.
'Cyrus Deans. do you know that you're
a-sendin' your own soul right street to perds-
tions"
He looked up, startled A tall, gaunt female
was peeriug at him from pair of glistenng
spectaclos,--- woman in rusty black Dress
and straw s'shaker'' trimmed with tomba-
zine cape, and single bow Of black ribbon.
universal village ohasact of whom the weak
and vicious SO justly sand in awe,-a woman
who speaks her mind.-and a very
startling way she had of doing it,
Being possessed Of considerable prop
erty, and social position, she was al
loved to exercise her privilege to her hearts
content A tongue like forked lightning, when
occasion requi' J., but a heart o'"rhowing with
love for the struggling and suffering: Cyrus
DeAue shifted his hoe uneasily. II don't see
heow you make it cont tibet Pm agoin' any
9aster'n other folks, haint done uothin' 10
disobleege you that know of.'
lyon know what mean. was up to Jerry's
last night" She gave hum another steady look
from those RradamantLusllk glasses. His
gaze fell before hers.
IL .lain't pizened none O. Jerry's critters, nor
sot his barn afire, hev I?'
"You'ye pizsaed his peace O. mind. You've
wore him ecu; with worry, till he's Ea'kn'
ghost. I &c! great store bv LOUSY Ann, I do,
and when see her a-gittin' that fit o. high
srericks last night ali along O. your hardness
and scrinchin' meunuess, | com, as nigh btlin
over as ever did in my life Your own brother,
Cyrus Deane! Tho little curly healed chap
that like enough, slep' on the same pillow with
you many night What would your mother
ha' thought efshed ha' known heoW dlher-
ent you'd turn Out'''
Cyrus Dean drew kown his bushy eye brows,
and gave an energetic kick to a small bowlder.
''Jarry'e he'd ez good a chance to git along CT
me. We started even, It's his own look eout!
HI hain't no hand to manage,-never vas
never could git fore hand in his born days!'
'"rhe more reason why you ought to be mer-
ciful. BE hain't he'd ez good chance ez you.
The year tltat your barns was groanin' an run
MIN over, his wheat got the weevil, an his corn
kstched the mildew. bis cattle died. an his
tools WAS stole. He laid sick with rheumatic
fever, and he'd doct'r's bill Of 800 to pay.
Do you call that ez good chance ez yours?
LOUSY Ann works ez hard ez aay woman.-
cookin', all cleanin', au' grubbing-an' never
he'd the fust scrap O. hired help, 'cept for
'leven days when Cissy was q baby-an' she
never gifts ride in = bran new buggy. nutherl"
casting keen glance toward the wagon shed.
Cyrusmopped his beaded brow with red
cotton handkerchief, and took up his hoe with
determined air, as If to end tue conference
81 hain't ben narf as hard on him ez soma
folks would ha' ben Pye gin HIM time, an
gin him time, till my patience is clean tuckered
,eout an he keeps a-faIiin' behind instd O git
lia' forrard. He's younger'n be, he kin go
West!'
Miss Mahala took of her shaker and shook
out the cape. Strengthened out the bow, aud set
it On her head asaln, and then said, in SLOW.
measured tones: - -. ~. ...
MAY the Lord hev mercy on your. soul,
Cyrus Deane! Et h. measured it eout to you
ez you do to other. folks, you'd hev precious
little to be thankful fer."f -. j!eE&3@'
She Walked slowly down the road, and Cyrus
went on with h's hoeng de didn't consider
himself hard man. Honest, ontwardly he
was, as Jerry had said. but "war to tho kiife
to get his own In two Short wesks he could
foreelose the mortgage, and Jerrys little place
would be has own. Would he do it, Miss
Mahala's words were verjuioe to- his con-
science--for q brief minute nobler feelngs
strove With his greed OF gain, then, dashing
down the hoe: ss' .s5 Y %}*st re-. f5sa4E.ss tg@3
mo! Gosh durn it! Jerr7's got to look eout
fer himself. He's grown nan--not q babyt
+ WAY carnt tibet cussed old yinegsr-face MUD
her own business?" $5555s# 3<<.< n .s 81 III
T,&S ha :. &,{ IN