The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1884-10-09

"wsll. said Neultsn. "they sent 70 me,
asd notiAsd ne that il the assessment Was
not paid within thirty days, my stock
would b. forfeited, or. il they choose they
could come on and collect II, a. the bond
which signed just for forms sake gave
them power 10 do. SO have sent on the
500. l tell yeu, Walter. 1t came hard.
OH wish had listened TO nay wife, and
left the thiag alone.
Walter went home feeling unhappy, but
he dared not speak with his wife on
the snbjsct "ohl il had only listened
to Jenniel" That was the burdea Of his
vail.
II was during the first week in Novsm-
bar that Walter had givsn the mortgage
on his home. and drawn the $1,000 from
the savings bank. II sas in July, next
following. that Moult and Simmons
had been assessed 10 per celt. on the
stock they had taken. At that time. Is
Walter afterward learned. Simmons had
bssa inclined 10 lot his stock asd his $1,000
slrssdy paid il 80. rather thaa be sled
any more; but the eficsrs Of the company
had very clearly shown him that they had
power. under the boad he had given, to
come on and make distraint on any prop
srty OF his they ceuld find.
And Walter was ia for 81. 900.
II the worst should come il would swal-
low up the rest OF his farm every bit OF
It! He suffered more, and more; and he
suffered the more ksenly because he would
not speak with his wife, and ask her sym.
pathy.
A year had passed and another Neysm-
Der had como. Oae morning at the pest
office, Charles Moulton, pale and aghast,
and quivering with mental torture, pointed
out TO Walter Witherell an item in q city
paper which friend lad seat him. Wal
ter took the paper and read IS follows:
"A SAD COLLAPSE. We fear that many
OF the honest. hard-working farmers and
mechanics Of the surrounding country are
sufferers BY the collapse Of the Grand
Orient Petroleum, Mining and Manufactu.
ring Company; SO called. The affair has
been . stupsndous swindle from the fist
yet 30 adroitly did the csrporators do their
business that their victims can cain no re-
dress. The company swned oil the land
they pretended to own; but in truth, q
more utterly worthless tract OF land than
was their terretory was not to be found on
the continent. But the loss of money paid
for stock is not all. A few moneyed men
have bought up the whole concern, and
are now making distraint upon the origi
nal subscribers to the stock for the collec
ton of the full face value ef the premi
um nstss which they unwittingly gave al
the time Of subscribing. We venture tc
SAY that scarcely man of them dreamed
that be was giving bona fde note wher
be signed that simple, innocent locking
bond. 1t is bard, but 1t might have been
wors,. Some may find the experience
worth all it will cost, while oil may ds
we'll to remember the homely old saying
| .Cobbler, stick to your last. :"
i Walter gave back the paper with
groan, and sought the fresh ar
| When he got home his wife was fright
ened. She thought him deadly sick. Sh'
hastened to bis side and wound on arm
around his neck.
i Dear Waiter, what is it? What is thu
matter?"
20, Jennie, Jennie, il had only lie
tened to you.
! Aud then in broken tones and in tear
he told her OF the sad o. ,spse Of the Crane
Orient. He concealed nothing; but tolt
her the plain unvarnished truth. No
oAly WAS the 80, 900 gone that he had al
ready paid, but they were coming for 50,
, 600 more and he could not escape paying
it,
4 Jennie sat down and looked into he
j hxsbands face What meant that lurking
4 smile which he caught at the cersers OF he
blue eyes and about the full ruby lips
Was it possible that she could find it il
} her heart to make sport Of his cruel bite
agony?
walter" shs said at length, "will yo'
L
; 20 and get your certificate Of stock ant
let US lock it oyer2'
He arose, moving like decrepid ol'
man. and procured the envelope an'
brought it back. Jennie took it aud drew
out this certificate.
j "Whers is the company's seal?' Sh
asked.
i ..What!" cried Walter, "is there NJ
SCALP
mo, and lock at the signatures ID
they look ss such signatures ought T.
loek?"
| A brief silence, aud then the wife. will
happy tears mingled with her smiles
threw her arms around her husband
neck, sxclsining as she did no:
20, Walter, / know you will forgive m
new. did bold thing; At the time yo
might have called 1t m outrageous thing
J but could not pay away that money 10
what knew was q mess Of pottage. Dea
hasband. you have never owned shar
. Of this stock. / went TO Kate Moulton =
knew that Spsrklsr vss TO call there b'
, fere he came here and / set her TO beg
Mr.. spsrklsr one Of the blank certificate
: Of stock, on the plea that she wanted
. keep the pretty pisture for curiosit,
] He gave 1t 10 her. and she brought u
once 10 ne When Spsrkler called upo
a me sent him about bis business of -hant
a 1 tsld him Just what thought OF him "a
OF bis company; and will only say sh'