Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-11-09

like to own it.''
My vanity, of course, was touched at hav
! ing my choice approved, while, at the same
i time, a vision of the profits of building and
: selling arose before me-
1 said 1 would sell if I got a sufficient
price, and at his request named a good
round sum. He shrugged his shoulders and
said he couldn't pay any such money, but he
| thought he wouldn't mind giving a certain
sum which he named, and which was about
, half what the house had cost me.
/ told him abruptly that I didn't care tc
| sell, and endeavored to close the converse
ton by moving toward the house.
eff you should ever change your mind
! you'll remember me, perhaps" said he, and
handed me an old envelope with his name
on it.
l babe him "Good day. and was about
throwing the envelope away when the name
struck me as familiar. ''Ephraim Jorton :
for moment I couldn't recall where I had
seen it, but soon remembered that it was the
name of the grantor in that old deed, and
| that had deciphered the family name on
some of the moss grown headstones in the
grave yard.
| In vain tried to convince myself that il
was only coincidence; that my Jorton fam
lily must be scattered and dead; had to give
myself up to detection.
| 1t is thus that the clouds of trouble roll
over our heads. We no sooner recover from
one shadow and begin to bask in the sunshine
| of happiness, than another takes its place.
| That night, as the church clock doomed out
an hour when ought to have been asleep, ii
! seemed to sound only refrain to the words
| ''To them and their heirs forever"
IF ,;rr;1c hoe
, courted it: Sorrow endureth for joy, but
| night cometh in the morning.
| So the next morning 1 arose, determined
to drop the whole subject from my mind
and succeeded in SO far that never men
| toned the graveyard, nor even looked that
way if could help it,
I told Maria of the strangers foolish err
rand, but had said nothing of the similarity
of names, for reasons already limited at
| There is enough actual trouble in the world
| for every one without giving them occasion to
borrow what really doesn't exist.
Months went by, happy months for us.
Everything fourished about the place; the
| garden, the young trees and vines that had
planted, all grew as plants never grew before
on a new place.
One bright Sunday in November, as we
were sitting at lunch, Maria was remarking
pensively on the many blessings we were en-
joying, and (she is of rather devout turn of
mind) was saying that we had good reason for
keeping Thanksgiving day this year if never
before.
From where she sat she could look out of
that lovely window toward the village and
the church, and at this point she called my
attention to a peculiar group in the street.
They had stopped in front of the adjoining
lot, vacant lot owned by Mr.. Van Grinder,
and seemed hesitating for moment what
| to do.
There was very ordinary, raw boned team
of horses attached to heavy farm wagon,
empty Or nearly so. On the drivers seat was
good natured looking Irishman, and beside
him was quite an old man, whom remember
to have seen hanging about the saloons; one
of those blear eyed old reprobates who make
us resigned to (but incredulous of the deadly
effects of drink.
Behind the wagon walked a young petit
Jogging lawyer of the place, whom I just
knew by sight, and with him was man
whose face l could see distinctly, but whose
figure was dimly associated in my mind with
something unpleasant-I couldn't recall
what.
The horses were turned up on the sidewalk
and their discouraged heads hung over the
rickety fence that separated Mr.. Van Grind
er's lot frone stseet. The old man climbed
Nn from the seat and seemed ~ po. .,sS
! ing the way for them to move Strangely
enough his unsteady finger appeared to aim
| directly toward our house.
| The stranger now turned so that had q
| good view Of his countenance, when at once
T J-roy hin, Fr,b,, A
! chill ran down my back as I glanced again at
| the empty wagon and saw that it was not
empty. 1t contained long pine box that
reached slightly above the sides of the wagon,
and my worst fears were realized-almost;
for still had reason to be thankful that it
was Van Grinders lot and not mine that they
seemed about to enter.
At word from the lawyer the old man
and Jorton gave pull at the top rail of the
fence, and over it came.
They then took a bee line; yes, for my house
and for the very window where we were now
breathlessly watching.
Maria was puzzled and interested; was in
agony.
Though the ground was rough and steep in
| places, the driver slashed his old horses and
persuaded them that they were to move
straight ahead and follow the men before
them.
1t now appeared who so rough turnout
had been used to convey-I shudder to say it
! "a dead body to its final resting place.
Diagonally across the corner of the lot
straight on they all came, remorseless as fate,
till finally they reached another fence. This
time it was a newer fence. 1t was my fence.
Jorton went to the wagon and returned
with hammer and chisel, with which he
proceeded carefully to take down a length of
the fence. l couldn't help thinking that he
handled it nearly as if it were his own fence.
Stupidity wondering what they would do
next, stood like a statue or a fool, till Maria
asked me if ! was the latter, ''or why didn't
go out and stop them"
Mechanically put on my hat and went
out, though had an awful foreboding that
I shouldn't be able to stop them. l asked
Jorton what he was about, to which he re-
piled that Lawyer Snively would explain.
That gentleman bowed, and drew from his
pocket paper, which he said was copy of
the deed of this land from the Jorton fam
lily. He read the clause reserving the bury
ing ground, and, concluding, together with
a right of way to and from the said burying
ground, for the purpose of burying their
dead, to them and their heirs forever"
''You can't blame Mr.. Jorton," said he,
''for he is descendant and even bears the
identical name of that early Ephraim Jor-
ton, and it isn't his fault that the mother of
his deceased wife happened to die at his
house, not far from here; she had to be
buried somewhere"
He paused for breath, and the pensive Jor-
ton repeated after him, Eyes, had to be
buried somewhere
81 don't deny that" almost shouted, for
saw that Maria had raised the window, and
thought it was time for me to show little
spirit; ''but if she's got to be buried in that
ground, why didn't you inquire for the
proper way to it? A right of way has been
left on the other side of the farm"
Lawyer Snively replied serenely that there
was only one proper way that they had
right to follow, and that was the way that
had always been used.
Zone of our Oldest residents is present."
said he, 'who can testify that we are now
following the original lane; he has fixed the
line by means of one or two old trees, and
there is no doubt of its correctness"
The old wreck, evidently rejoiced at his own
Importance, smiled feebly and was about to
speak, when Snively shut him off and CON-
tinued: 'Moreover-we'le very sorry, but
this isn't the worst of it; the way runs right
through this wing of your house. The horses