Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-08-08

whole of my six months savings. felt
almost afraid of my folly at the time, but
he took IL with a smile, thanked me pro-
fusely, and the next thing | saw he was
going down the lane, toward the main
road. A sudden thought occurred to
me.
"Come back for a moment" | cried.
He turned back and hastily approached
the piazza.
''Are you going to the depotf' in
CURED.
81 am" he answered.
"Well, your shortest way is round the
house. Follow the path through the
orchard, past the barn and down the
pasture. It will bring you to the back
road and save you half an hours walk in
the sun. Turn to the left at the pasture
gate and keep right on"
| lie thanked me, smiled again and was
gone.
"Now," thought, "he's sure to meet
none of the folks coming home" ThenI
drew breath of relief and after tidying
myself dragged the rocking chair on to
| the veranda and tried to feel as uncon-
cerned as possible as I waited for father
and the rest to return.
| Mother came home first, full of the
symptoms and sufferings of Martha Phil
ips's baby; then Floss and Peggy drew
up in buggy, eager to show us their
purchases. ather and the boys arrived
in time for supper.
That evening the mortgage was dis
cussed again. The subject of the
mortgage that lay on the farm was
periodically discussed. Those who own
mortgaged farms and know their owners
will understand what I mean by saying
that the mention of mortgages makes me
sick. That mortgage it was that rend-
dered my mother old before her time
and made my father appear an incarna-
ton of covetousness.. The niggardliness
and closeness which necessity had made
the rule of his life was not, I believe,
natural to him, but it was ground in him
by the mortgage and the paying the in
terest. Day and night dollars and cents,
profit and prices, were the whole topic of
conversation. Every penny was grudg
ingly doled out, every expense which
meant laying out money was cut off.
Everything that could be sold off the
farm was sold, hay, butter, eggs and
beef, and swallowed up by this mortgage.
It was only by our own private poultry
and the sale of milk from our own COW
and by knitting that we girls managed to
scrape together enough to dress on. The
carking care, the pinching poverty in the
midst of plenty which wears more than
anything else on heart and mind, are to
be found in perfection in the home Of a
farmer whose farm carries a mortgage.
The removal of the mortgage, which was
once the dream of my fathers life, had
for long time passed out of the range
of his hopes. 1t was hard enough to
pay the interest, It was natural enough,
therefore, that the return of my uncle
from California with fortune brought
up the subject of the mortgage.
II shouldn't be surprised if he lifted it
at last for me-" said my father that even
ing. ave often asked him, and he's
never given decided answer. He must
be pretty we'll fixed now, and I helped
him when he was boy"
And this opinion seemed to be shared
by my mother and the boys. My uncle s
arrival was looked upon as a sort Of a
bonanza to the family. It was, there
fore, with great excitement that we heard
the news that Jake Edwards was driving
up strangers from the station, and that
they. were coming to Squire Sangster's.
This message was brought by the small
boy on the shaggy white pony, who
carried the letters from the station to our
postofice, and who had picked up this
bit of gossip when the mail train came
in and had outstripped Jake Edwards's,
team, which was certainly more noted
for strength than speed.
Father and the boys had hired neigh
Dor to go on with the haying, and had
dressed themselves in their best, mother
had on her gray satin with pink ribbon
in her cap, and we girls had made our
selves just too line for anything. At last
the team appeared; black horses and
square oilskln covered coach. A tall
man, tawny and bearded, leaped from the
seat and came up from the veranda steps,
where all the family were ranged to meet
him. He shook hands with father,
kissed mother and then turned to Us
girls.
Floss was the beauty of the family, and
was first presented for kiss, then Peggy
and last of all myself, though was
older than Peggy. But l was plain ano
quiet.
Three fine gals said my Uncle Kit
"and yer boys seem kind of hearty, too
but it must be hard work toiling and