The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-05-15
SAVINGS FOR ARAINY DAY

Whatever brightness there was In that
little household was strictly homemade.
Homemade things may lack style and
polish and great many other qualities,
but they are solid and satisfying The
widowed mother was brave and patient
fourteen -year-old George was manly and
helpful; Baby Bess, a wee tot, insisted
that she was mamma sunbeam and
Georgie's JOY" and between them the
love these three had for each other was
their principle fortune. To be sure they
had their cottage. nestled like u brown lit
tie wren of house among the cherry
trees, but so far from the more preten-
tious street Of the village rs TO be quite
secluded in its modest retirement-a
hOme-nest where there was more peace
than plenty.
One thing this tiny residence had in
common with many stately mansions that
unwinkingly stand forth as if begging
for public RdmiratiOn-there WAS n mort
gage on it. 1t was so very small house
that it really seemed as though it would
not take much of g mortgage TO crush in
its low, rambling roof. like q too heavy
load Of snow, and like the snow IS a mort
gage on the poor mans home a cold. pitt
less dead weight.
Next after her two children Mrs. Nor
ris loved this wrenlike house best of any
thing, and for three long years she had
worked at that mortgage saving ND and
paying il of by Titles" until AT last when
Of the original $500 there only remained
a trIfe less than $40 to pay, lawyer Hard
ing had given her notice that he had
orders from the holder OF the mort gage
that he could no longer extend the time.
and that unless the balance was paid by
the first day OF the month he would fore
close. This simply meant that she would
lose all she had paid and be turned out Of
doors in the bargain At the same time
the lawyer had intimated, on giving this
disagreeable Intelligence. that If Mrs
Morris would consent to marry him he
would relieve her OF all further trouble,
not only in regard TO this but sl future
financial embar-aSsments.
The mortgage itself was trouble enough
for one poor woman to bear; but she
would rather have had all the mortgages
in the world 10 tight than endure the
thought of life with man with the mean
traits of this lawyer. She gave him to
underrtand this fact clearly as good
use Of plnin, matteT-of-fRct English could
do It. His words were smooth enough
too smooth, in fact-as he went away, but
there was the sort Of smile On his face
and its sinister counterpart in his soul
that bOded no good to the object of his
thoughts. It was as evident to her as
though he had said so in so many words
that the time mentioned would be the last
day of grace. ..
April first came-but not the paltrv bal
anCe needed 10 clear of the MORTGAGE And
no sum OF money Is paltry when one must
have il to avert disaster-and cannot get
it. Mrs Morris could see no earthly way
out OF her troubles that morning. Every
thing looked dark. 1t was hard to have
worked so long, to have struggled for
weeks and months and years, as she had
done, only TO lose all at last No, not all .
For she had George and BeSs left. Think
ing OF them made it still harder to bear,
for IL was for their dear saSes she had
tOiled and economical and saved There
was suspicious suggestion OF what her
eyes had been doing when George came
cheerily in 10 his breakfast
What. my little mammie's eyes are
half drowned he exclaimed IN his
hearty. boyish way, with part fun and
more tenderness in his tone, IS he hugged
her like a young bear, ana dabbed kisses
into each damp eye.
"Tisn't me 81 he continued. searching
for cause for the rather unusual display
OF discomfort. Nos I'm glad OF that
for don't think I've done anything down
right awful lately. and il cant be Bess
She's all right, / know-no measles, or
whOoping cough, or anythiug-for l Just
saw her sleeping like "a" here he
paused for satisfactory sinile, dabbing
more warm kisses from rosy lips into
red eyes the while" like a happy little
kitten"
"Georgie. do eat your breakfast It's
as bad TO have ones eyes kissed out as
drowned out -
"Oh, / know 20 he confined, pursuing
the subject with no intention OF being put
Of. That old Harding is coming again,
III bet anything"
g Yes, dear he is coming" but the lit
tie woman mad not the heart to ten all
that dreaded coming implied.
Pshaw, mammie Don't worry SO
about il. That blamed mortgage is almost
paid of ana you won't have to see the
mean sneak many times more. "
d" don Ike TO hear You speak that way.
1t doesn't help me and 1t hurts YOU"
More kisses that said IS plainly as words
could, " IL WAS because ! love You and
can't bear TO see you so unhappy, but il
Il hurts you l won't do il any more" "
Then he pitched into his breakfast with
as savage earnestness as though he
thought ne was a half-starved cannibal
and his food was the luckless, but wen
cooked Harding.
an bet it's an April fool -" saii
/ George. at the sound of an unusually load
( ring at the front door. IL was in realit,
a boy with a large Official envelope. AL
dressed 10 Mrs. Martin, who simply sai,
/ he was told there was no answer TO wai
for.
Nervously Mrs. Morris tore it open. a
some people have a way OF doing wit
7 their kilograms.
/ "It Is the mortgage - she cried. as sh
undid the formidable document. 1t wa
Z not her familiarity with law papers tina
4 enabled her TO so promptly identify IL
3 every fold an crease OF this mortgage Sh
I knew 10y ,ons and sad acquaintance
Are you sure 'tisnt an April fool
mammie - asked George suspiciously
Neither she nor his mother had, from pas
I experience, any reason TO expect any Il
vors from harding or the rich property
. owner he represented. Here was tn
mortgage in her hands-there could be n
doubt Of that-a small piece of pnpe
after all, to have been such a dead weigl
on the tiny home and the three that weI
in it. Careful examination failed to di
cover any scrap of letter or word of e,
4 plauation accompanying il.
o. " IL is too good 10 be true" sighed n
zsffl rfa-tef IN. event 1rrr- rr.l