Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-10-11
THAT RIGHT OF WAY.
A Somewhat Pathetic Recital OF
an Innocent's Woes

an 1nnOcentS woes.
You know what fright of way"
is. OF course you do; every body
knows that 1t is simply the right to
go across another mans land, in order
to reach your own, which may be re-
mote from any highway.
Oh! you didn't know what fright
of way" was! Well, there's nothing
to be ashamed of in that, for the law
yers themselves don't know exactly
what it is; whether it gives the right
to the shortest way across, to the orig
inal way, or to any way that the owner
of the land chooses to grant. But
there's no need of our stopping to dis
cuss that point
1t was. a charming piece of ground
that / had selected and bought, on the
outskirts of the somewhat thriving
village of NJ. There was a fine
view of the majestic Hudson on one
side and of the village on another.
But-there's always but-there was,
at the rear of my lot, a short distance
away. and hidden among a growth of
neglected evergreens and underbrush,
what l failed to notice before purchas-
ing-an old family burying-ground.
wasn't used to buying building
lots; that's the amount of it, and it was
fortunate for me, as Mr.. Van Grinder
had said. from whom bought. that l
was dealing with man who took an
interest in me.
know he took an interest in me.
for in the first place, he said he did.
Then, too, he brought me to this lot
and confidentially told me Of two other
men, in whom he took no interest
(possibly, l have since thought, be-
cause they We're men of straw, who
were both anxious to get it, but he
was trying to hold on to it for me. So,
when l had about decided to take it,
but wanted few days to think it over
in and consult my wife, he counseled
me that it would be safer-not that
there was any fear of his backing out,
but it would be safer, in case of his
death or-or any thing OF that kind,
to pay some amount down, to bind the
bargain. thanked him for the hint
and gave him a round sum, cautiously
taking a receipt therefor.
He then incidentally led me around
near that old burying-grOund, and re-
marked what an inoffensive affair it
was, entirely unused and covered with
trees; and he hadn't mentioned it be-
fore lest should get a sudden and un-
reasoning prejudice against so nice a
piece of property. l confess that
didn't appreciate this last evidence of
consideration. but thought he had
meant well and l would make the best
of it.
explained to my wife, and it took
more explaining than l thought it
would. that dead people were very
harmless neighbors, especially when
they had been dead thirty or forty
years; and they must have been very
nice people indeed to give their dead
such fine place of ground to rest
in, with view of the water and all
that.
She tartly remarked-you know how
women will, the best of them-that
she didn't know what good a view of
the water was to dead people. unless
meant their spirits. and she hoped
they weren't the kind that hankered
after view of water. But I've got
used to such little pleasantries from
Maria, and didn't let this trouble me
much.
A soon as the papers could be drawn
up. paid for my lot and received the
deed. after which / thought it would
be nice thing, while the house was
being built, to have the title searched.
just as a matter of form. and so that
could feel positive when l stepped on
its threshold that every thing was alb
solutely my cwn.
The professional gentlemen whom
employed to make the search soon told
me that the property had passed
through good many hands, and what
was more interesting still, that some
where through this old farm that nv
friend Van Grinder had purchased. and
Of which my lot was . part, there was
reserved q right Of way" to an old
burying-groun6