Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1885-05-05
MISCELLANEOUS.
kitty's Farm!
"Comc inl"

Come inl"
This was the gruff answer that
Judge Butler made to timid knock
at his Office door, in New Lexington,
the struggling capital of the now IA
nous mining county of Perry.
The door softly opened and timid
bit of girl entered. She might have
been fifteen and she might have been
twenty. As a matter of fact Kitty
Fanshawe was just eighteen and her
ewn mistress in the eyes of the law.
"Well, Miss Kitty" began the
judge in his brusque business way.
secured a decree in court this
morning which entities you to the
possession of your farm in SaitlicS
township.
(" Oh, am so happy, 1Ir. Butler!
| am so. happy that l have got my old
home back, and that papa's will has
not been broken"
Tut, tut, little girl! You ought to
be sorry. You couldn't sell the en-
tire eighty acres of land for enough
money to pay the costs Of the court. /"
.'' Oh, dear! you frighten me.
What do the costs amount to, Mr..
Butler?"
Your proportion of the court costs
is $165 and my fee is s5O-total S215.
"Then I can never pay it, and will
have to give it up after all. I have
been able to save but S35 oiit Of my
wages during the whole year, and /
had hoped that that would pay all
expenses"
And Kitty Fanshawe INDUCED in a
violent fit of weeping.
A' Dry your tears, little one," and
Judge Buffers voice grew tremulous /;
Z" don't cry any more. won't make
any charge for my services; so there's
$50 of it paid off at oncc.'
" And I will pay the costs of court,
and the young lady can reimburse me
when she is able" spoke up young
man who had been an interested lis-
tener.
"Miss FanshaWe; this is Fenton
Barclay, student of mine. 1 thought
you were acquainted.
The young people bowed to each
other.
Will Mr.. Rolfe, your guardian,
advance you the money to discharge
the clerks costs and have the decree
regularly recorded?'' asked Judge
Butler.
" I do not think he will"
"Then accept Mr.. Barclays offer.
He is not wealthy, but he has the
money and can spare it for a year or
two until you are able to repay him. -
Z" But 1 doubt the propriety of
taking it. -
Nonsense, nonsense, little one.
1t is simply business transaction. y
Miss Kitty tried in vain to protest
further, but the gruf Judge would
have none of it, and in half an hour
he had her signature to an agreement
to pay Mr.. Fenton Barclay S165 in
four semi-annual payments of e41.25
each, with interest at 6 per cent.
After Hiss Fanshawe had again
and again thanked her young bene-
factor, with smiles and bushes con-
tending for the mastery, she with
drew.
OF cotrse the story of Fenton Bar
clay S generosity toward the friendless
girl got out in the village; and ii
didn't take the gossips long to decide
that he aid Kitty were to be married.
Sooth 90 say, the decision reached by
the gossips was not very dispIeasing
to either of them, and almost before
they knew it Fenton Barclay and
Kitty Fanshawe were engaged. AL
most simultaneous with Mr. Barclay g
admission to the bar they were mar
ried. When the young bafrister Yis-
tied the farm he saw how valuefess
his real estate security was, and
Iaughingly said that he ought to have
accepted the semi-annuaI payments,
which he had refused to do. He
made what he regarded as a good
bargain when he found a man who
would pay the taxes on the farm for
the privilege of occupying it. Fen
ton Barclay had a young lawyers ex-
perience for several years at trying
to make living in country town
and hard struggle it was very fre,
quently. But in the meantime some
wonderful changes had taken place
in Perry county. The Hooking Val,
ley railroad had penetrated its s51th
ern border, and the town of NeT
StraitsviIfe. spraRg into existence
Mrs. Barclays farm adioined the
new town, and it was not long unit
it vas discovered that it contained
the most valuable coal mines in al
that portion Of the Monday creek val.
LEY. A long story of negotiation ca,