Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-10-23

parents be without CLEAN of hope, she
yet felt when it was written and sealed
that she had failed, and was still furth-
or depressed by tho thought of the ef-
feet il would have upon those to whom
il was to be sent; and especially upon
her father who she knew would boar
the blow even less stoutly than her
mother.
Meantime the verbal sale of the
mountain ranch had been concluded
between Mr.. and Mrs. Parsons and the
gentleman of whom Mrs. Parsons had
written.
They were TO receive two thousand
dollars cash down and to give immed-
ate possession; and on the morning but
one following that on which Lucy's 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 tho
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 be fought the
prop ,rty. having heen shown rs proof
of that fact when nogotiat ons for tho
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 his
horse, saw that he was properly fed,
and then started for the courthouse.
On his way there he had to pass the
post.office, and, stopping to inquire If
there was any mail for him, was handed
Lucy's letter to her 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 a feeling that
perhaps all was not right at the Slough.
Perhaps it was because it had been
only a few days since they had received
n letter from there, and so were not eX-
pecting another so soon.
Tearing oil 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 seemed to him that
he should die right there, and those
who were looking saw him stagger Ike
drunken man, but he rallied at once
and went out without n word.
The thought that the cottage on the
mountain side was still theirs, and
would afford an asylum for the children,
had come TO him, and he was fastening
to tell the would-be purchaser that un-
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!
lhey couia all i've comlortaply IN tne
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 dieu, ana no one "ouid
disturb them on the mountain SIDE,
winch was secluded and lonely that
hardy anybody appeared to want to
live there. Yes, 1t was very fortunate
that the bargain hao no1 oeen cioset!,
ana ne wou.d pay, tne man 1or his
trouble ana ask 10 De released.
Entering the court-nouse he went Oil
reGIiy 10 the recorder once
Inc gentleman wnom ne expected 10
meet was already Ihere' ana IN compa-
ny Win the hecoruer was looking over
the records
Without SO much as ploalnS them
gooa morning John farsons pegah &c
say that ne had chan9ea MS inlhd ana
wished TO be released from ms Verpa
contract pus peiore ne cou.u lhaNe ms
meaning unuer'soou lhe gentleman WHO
hau Gohlracieu lo[ 'no place, sala;
no" Is th's' Nlr. rarson9? iihu !
mortgage on your place. l UNDERSTOOD
you TO say IL was ciear OF all lncum'
Drances' go
A-a morttgage!
Inc words came IN u Whisper from
llps that were ploodless' winch the other
ana not notice' lor ms eyes were upon
the volume OF records, and he
answered:
y es A mortgage Tor iiiteen hun
dred dollars with interest 1or SIX years;
unless 1T has been pad; making total
OF ABOUT the amount was TO pay you
Tor the place. The mortgage seems tc
nave peen given py Mr. blaKe TO MI
Jones' Oh oan FRANCISCO, and
But he did not conclude the sentence,
| for at that instant the two men Mt lhe