St. Landry democrat., 1886-01-23

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
omen the letter He had a 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 of 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
/ r OF Il ulOIutuG III SCtLlCd " I'LL Illfts
he should die right there, and those
who were looking saw him stagger like
drunken man, but he rallied at once
and went out without 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
It 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 SO 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 d.
'rectly to the Recorders office.
The gentleman whom he expected to
meet was already there, and in compa.
nv with the Recorder was looking over
the records.
Without so much as bidding them
good morning, John Parsons began &c
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? | find Il
mortgage on your place. l understood
you to say it was clear of all incum-
brances.'
IA mortgage!'
The words came in 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 hun
dred dollars with intere It for six years,
unless it has been paid; making tota
of about the amount | was to pay YOU
for the place The mortgag seems tc
have been given by Mr.. Blake to Mr.
Jones, of San Francisco, and"
But he did not conclude the sen tence,
for at that instant the two men at the
desk heard groan, and turning. saw
John Parsons fall to the floor as if dead.
They picked him up and laid him on
q bench, and one of them ran for the
doctor, while the other attempted to
pour some whisky down his throat from
flask.
In q moment he revived. and when
the doctor came running in, followed by
a crowd of business men and idless.
| was sitting up with his head leaning
upon his hands, his elbows upon his
knees. AS the crowd entered he looked
,, ND for an instant and then resumed his
;. former position, but that instant sufficed
to show to those present face so bag.
! gard that not one among them al
recognized it as the face Of John Par
sons, the owner of the mountain ranch
The doctor advanced and laid a hane
upon the wrist of the stricken man, a.
= if to feel his pulse.
r Then John Parsons again raised hi
head, and with an effort arose to hi
q feet.
! sit amt no use, Doc,' he said, recog
e nizng the physician as one who had at
i tended Johnny in b. recent illness. II
amt no use," he repeated, ''it's thu
! heart that's ailin' an there ain ID
j. medicine that'll do it any good; least
t wise nothin' You kin give. The chill
= dren is bein' robbed of their home jus
8 as their parents has been afore en-
it and there aims anything left to live fe'
Il thought when / read the letter ies
| Ii all tor h.
9 somehow ON our own little ranch, bt