Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-12-01
THE CRANBERRY SWAMP.

"Of course you know very well, or at
least | am certain | have remarked in
your hearing time and again, man has
his own fortune to look to, said young
DR.. Dedling.
"Of course" said Judith and as she
spoke the words cold chill seemed to
creep like ice around her heart.
'If you had consulted me as TO your
affairs" the young man went on, Gin
stead OF taking this extraordinary step
without advice"
eyes, | know" hurriedly interrupted
Judith; "but it is over and past now 4,
so perhaps we had better not talk about
it."
DR.. Dedling shuddered as he looked
around at the dreary winter landscape,
including the swamp that extended to-
ward the east.
"Such Il place." he said 'for a lady
to select to live inp
at isn't very cheerful, but ] have
lived here all my life, you know"
"The more reason for wanting to get
rid of it now"
Judith was silent. She looked at the
blazing logs on the old-fashioned hearth
and tried to keep back the rising tears.
Dr.. Dedling took up his hat.
"Then | am to consider our engage
ment is at an end?" said he.
eyes," said Judith.
"Good-by," said DR.. Dedling
"Good-by," responded Judith.
The next moment she was alone with
the logs, and the crickets chirping on
the hearth.
1t was just a month tonight since
they had buried Old Miles Gray out OF
sight, and Mrs. Pytchley, Judith's ell
dest sister, who had married New
York grocer, had boldly declared that it
was high time the old man took himself
off the stage of this world, and was
much disappointed to find that thou
sand dollars in gold represented all his
wealth, with the exception of the cram
berry swamp Inear the house and this
property, by the terms OF the will, was
to be divided. between his two nieces,
Judith Gray and Martha Pytchley, as
they themselves might agree.
m'll take the ready money; what
could do with three or four miles Of
cranberry swamp?" said Mrs. Pytchley.
"Or, what could Judith do with it
either?" said Hubart Pytchley, who sat
whiting pine stick by the fire.
al dare say she could manage very
nicely. I've heard my Uncle Miles say
that he sold sixty dollars worth Of
cranberries one year out of the swamp"
said Mrs. Pytchley.
"IIumph!" grunted her husband.
"And that's legal interest on thou
sand dollars, you KNOW added his
wife. "What do you say, Judith ?'
"It makes no difference to me, said
Judith, very quietly.
at does to me, then, because lto-
boart's business is in the city, and we
could do nothing with lot OF swampy
land down here"
So Mrs. Pytchley took all she could
get and went back to the grocery; and
young DIR. Dedling, who had calculated
on five hundred dollars to fit up an
Office in the village adjoining, broke his
tHRdStIiitIit III ''Pe
should so deliberately have flung her
fortune away.
"a set of sharpers" cried he, with
disgust.
"Stop, DR.. Dedling!" said Judith
coloring up. "You forgot that you are
speaking of my sister and her husband" "
"But they have no right to impose on
YOU thus" exclaimed the doctor.
81 agreed to the plan without a re-
monstrance.
DIR. Dedling shrugged his shoulders.
"In that you showed your lack OF
sense Ii you had no regard for your
self you might have had some for me. "
"Was it my money you wanted -
asked Judith, stung to the quick.
DIR. Dodling colored.
GA man must take money matters
into consideration, he said.
And so it came about that the en-