Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-12-20
he looked up from hislsst half drunken
torpor when Nan came In

She poured out dram and tossed It of.
81 came to see my bonny husband, she
said, before | am widow once more.
En-. man. It's an unlucky wife ye have
gotten"
"Wifel" be repeated; "wifcl Yes,
suppose you would pretend"---
clark ye. brother" cried Nan, bring
ing down her cudgeI on the table with an
emphasis which reminded Mathew un-
easily Of the second husbands lot; ''harh
vel Sail on another track. or you'll have
broadside thatn rake you fore and aft
from stem to stern Wife am; husband
you are; wherefore oil that Is yours Is
mine" She hitched q rope into the
handle Of the stone jar containing the
brandy and jerked 1t over her shoulder.
''Ihe mill Is mine. SO long as 1t Is yours.
which won't be long. shipmet. Last
night ! read your fortune. my lad. BY
all can discover, you and me shall part
company before long. But whether you
will hang yourself. like my second man.
or be hanged. like my first; or whether
you will be knocked o. tho head
which is too good for such as you; or
whether you will die by reason Of takin'
too much rum aboard. which Is fatal to
many an honest Jack; or whether you will
die by hand of doctors whereby the land
lubbers do perish by multitudes-I know
not. Short viii be our company; SO, as
long as we sail together, let US share and
share alike. and be merry and drink about
Monav-nou 7 want rnonav
He refused absolutely to let her have
any money Without any more words.
this terrible woman prepared for action.
That Is to say. she took off her rough
sailors jacket, rolled up her sleeves. and
seized the cudgel with gesture and look
SO menscing that Mathew hauled down bis
colors
"How much do you wantf" he asked
"Short will be the voyage" she said
give me ten guineas Yes. ] will take
ten guineas to begin with. But don't
think it's pay day. I'm not paid of. nor
shall be SO long as Pity tbs that can't
read those cards palmer. Wen, my desrie.
I'm going If I think should like the
mill better than my own cottage. I'll come
and stay here. You shall see, of and on.
plenty of your wife. Hol hol The bonny
bridel and the happy groom"
She left him for that time. But she
went often. during tho brief space which
remained of Mathews reign at the mill
Each'time she came she demanded money.
and rum or usquebaugh; each time she
threatened to live with her husband; each
time she terrified Barbara with the pros.
pect Of staying there. And the man sat
still In his room, brooding over the past
and thinking not Of repentance but Of
more wickedness.
One day. he rode away without telling
his sister whittier he was going or what
he designed He did not return that
night. but two days later he rode into the
town. accompanied by grave and elderly
gentleman. and after leaving the horses
at the inn he walked to our cottage
saw them at the garden gate. and my
heart felt like lead. because saw very
clearly what was going to happen
In fine. felt certain that the money
would be demanded and our house sold
Mathew, goaded by his sister. who
elamored without ceasing for the money
supposed to have been lent to us. and un-
able any longer to endure his suspense
and anxiety regarding their cousin, re-
solved to bring matters TO an issue. Fort
mate indeed was it for us he had delayed
so long.
They came in, therefore, and the grave
old gentleman opened the business. He
said that he was an attorney from Nor
petb; that the mortgage, of which men
ton had already been made to Mistress
Hetherington. had been drawn up by him
at the request of Mr. Mathew Humble;
that he had witnessed the signature OF
my father, and that the business. In
short, was regularly conducted in accord
ance with the custom and the require
ments of the law. s.
/ asked him If he had seen the money
paid to my father. he replied that he
had not, but that It was unnecessary. ]
informed him thereupon shat the money
never had been paid at all. but that my
father. demented person. as was very
well known. yet not 50 dangerous or 80
mad that he must be locked up. was per-
suaded by Mathew that he was signing
an imaginary deed of gift conveying lands
which existed only in his own mind. be-
cause he had no land.
The lawyer made m reply to this at all,
"Now. mistress" said Mathew roughly,
els the time to show the proofs you talked
about"
my proofs, sir, addressed the law
yer. ARE. first. that my father believes
himself prodigiously rich. and would
scorn to borrow money of such as Mathew
Humble; next, that he perfectly well re-
members signing this document, which he
thought a deed of gift; thirdly. that we
know positively that he has had no money
at all in his possession; fourthly, that he
denies with indignation having borrowed
money; filthy. that Mathew. like every
body else, knew of his decisions, and
would certainly never have lent the
money; sixthly, that goo is vast
sum, and could not have been received
and spent without our knowledge. Lastly.
that Mathew was known to be base and
wicked wretch who even tried to kidnsp
and carry off girl whom ho wished to
marry"
Every one of these proofs. said my
mother. rs by itself enough for any rea-
sonable person"
The lawyer replied very earnestly that
he had nothing to do with proving the
debt; that he came to carry out the In
structions of his client, and to give us q
weeks notice-which was an act Of mercy.
because no clause Of notice had been In
serted In the mortgage; that the house
would be sold unless the money lent
was paid; that IL was not his duty nor
his business TO advise MS. but his own
client; that the law Of England provides
q remedy for everything by the help OF
attorneys. and that. by the blessing Of
heaven. attorneys abound. and may be
obsained In any town. Finally. he On.
ceeded his duty BY his client In counseline
US TO put our affairs in the hands Of soma
skilled and properly qualified adviser.
This said. he bowed low and went away,
followed by Mathew.
But Mather returned half an hour later
and found me alone.
You told me-" he said, "six months
ago and more, that should attempt any
harm to you and yours. you would write
to the boy. waited. II your story was
true. you would have written 10 him ct
once, out of fear. But your story was
not true. All. women are all liars.
ought to have known that. Barbara says
SO. and she ought to know"
ssCio an Mathew " said