Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-11-12

L ECAeASLAdA oA WAOkA VILE dISOuS Idu
/ written.
They were to receive two thousand
dollars cash down and to give immedi-
ate possession; aud On the morning but
/ one following that on which Lucy sec
ond letter was ma led. John Parsons
! started to town with the deed made out
and signed by his wife.
| He was to meet the purchaser at the
courthouse in Phippsburg. deliver the
deed and receive the money, provided
| the title was found to be clear, of which
there was no doubt in the minds of
| either party; the abstract, which Blake
| gave to Parsons when he bought the
/ property, having been shown as proof
OF that fact when negotiations for the
purchase and sale were first begun.
| The sky looked cloudy and threaten
| ing when he left home but it would not
do to fail of being at the appointed
| place on time, and he kissed his Grip
pied boy and his wife and left in good
spirits, promising to be back by dark.
| On reaching town he put out h s
| horse, saw that he was properly fed,
! and then started for the court house.
| On his way there he had to pass the
post-otfice, and. stopping to inquire it
| there was any mail for him, was handed
| ltlCeT 10 uSt mother
| He recognized the post mark and
| opened it at once-not common pro-
! ceeding with him, for his eyes were no
longer good, and even where letters
| came addressed to himself instead of
his wife, he usually preferred to wait
until he got home, and then have her
read them aloud while he ate supper or
smoked his pipe and rested.
But now something impressed him
with the thought that he had better
| open the letter He had feeling that
perhaps all was not right at the Slough.
| Perhaps it was because it had been
only few days since they had received
letter from there, and so were not ex-
pecting another so soon.
Tearing off the envelope he began to
read. but had not proceeded far before
his hand trembled so that he could not
hold the paper still enough to see the
letters, and he folded it up and put it
into his pocket
. He had read enough. however, to
understand what had befallen his chill
| dren.
He knew that they were to be driven
| from their home, as he and they had so
| often been before. BY the merciless greed
of soulless corporations. or com binations
| of rich men whose hearts had turned to
stone beneath the weight of their i'm
menSe wealth.
For moment it SCENE to him that
he should die right there, and those
who were looking saw I'm stag@er like
| drunken man, but he rallied at once
| and went out without i word.
The thought that the cottage on the
mountain side was still theirs, and
| So. I HI
had come to him, and he was fastening
to tell the would-be purchaser that I'M
der the circumstances they could not
let him have the place.
1t was fortunate that the bargain was
not closed, he thought How lucky that
he had opened the letter instead of wait
ing until he got home!
They could all live comfortably in the
| cottage together. and he and Marty
| should have those dearest always with
them the little while they should con-
tinue to live, and by them to close their
| eyes when they died. and no one would
| disturb them on the mountain side,
which was 20 secluded and lonely that
hardly anybody appeared to want to
| live there. Yes. it was very fortunate
| that the bargain had not been closed,
and he would pay the man for his
trouble and ask to be released.
Entering the courthouse he went di-
rectly to the Recorders Office.
The gentleman whom he expected to
meet was already there, and in compa-
ny with the Recorder was looking over
the records.
Without so much as bidding them
good morning, John Parsons began TO
say that he had changed his mind and
! wished to be released from his verbal
contract, but before he could make his
meaning understood the gentleman who
had contracted for the place, said:
How is this, Mr.. Parsons? l find a
mortgage on your place. / unierstoo ID
you TO say it was clear of all iueum-
| ORANGES.
IA mortgager
The words came in a whisper from
lips that were bloodless, which the other
did not notice, for his eyes were upon
the volume of records, and he
| answered.:
Yes. A mortgage for fifteen hum
dred dollars with interest for six years.
unless it has been paid; making total
of about the amount L was to pay YOU
| for the place. The mort gage seems to
have been given by Mr.. Blake to a Mr..
Jones, of San Francisco. and
But he did not conclude the sentence.
for at that instant the two men at the
desk heard a groan. and turning, saw
John Parsons fall to the floor as il dead.
They picked him up and laid him on
bench, and one of them ran for the
| doctor, while the other attempted to
pour some whisky down his throat from
| flask.
In moment he revived. and when
the doctor came running in, followed by
a crowd of business men and idlerS,
was sitting up with his head leaning
| upon his hands, his elbows upon his
knees As the crowd entered he looked
! up for an instant and then resumed his
| former position, but that instant stlflieed
to show to those present face so hag-
gard that not one among them all
| recognized it as the face of John Par
| sons. the owner of the mountain ranch.
The doctor advanced and laid a hand
| upon the wrist of the stricken man, as
if to feel his pulse.
Then John Parsons again raised his
head, and with an effort arose to his
feet
at amt no use, Doc" he said, recog.
nizing the physician rs one who had at
tended Johnny in his recent illness. 1T
amt no use," he repeated, '.it'S the
heart that's ailin' an there amt no
medicine that'll do it any good; least
wise nothin' you kin give. The chill
| dren is bein robbed of their home pst
as their parents has been afore EN-,