The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-10-07
HER FATHERS Victim.
A STORY OF
WESTERN LIFE
By
THOMAS p. MANFORT.

looked down rather SheeplShly. For
once in his life he had made mistake,
and by his precipitancy had got himself
into trap. But he was not the sort OF
man to allow himself to be cast down,
andrealizing that the best way out OF the
difficulty was to put bold face on it,
he quickly rallied and looking up with
a hearty laugh said:
''Wen, we're all in bad boat here,
together, my friend. and we understand
each other, so there's no harm done. A
man can't afford to be too particular
about his assertions in this country,
you know. Ha, ha. you were rather
surprised that anything like that
corn should grow here, and I don't
wonder at it. That was shipped IN
from back east. But about that loan.
How was that?"
81 see you advertise eastern money to
loan, and I wanted to borrow two or
three hundred dollars on my farm"
''You have just one claim?''
eyes, one hundred and sixty acres"
ssAnd how much did you want on it?"
Three hundred dollars will do
:; Three hundred. Humph, I'm afraid
it's little more than I could advance
my friend"
''Why, it's less than two dollars per
acre, Mr.. Scraggs."
eyes, I know: but you see this land
is not very valuable at present, and the
chances are that it will get to be worth
less. Lands that don't produce any
thing won't sell. You know that"
Il thought fifteen dollars an acre was
cheap, and that next year the price
would be twenty or twenty-five" John
was not in any good humor, but the
chance to poke the agent this once was
too good to be lost.
''Stu1f. stuff Scraggs replied. 'Iou
know what that sort OF talk is worth.
III let YOU have two hundred on the
land, but can't go a cent more"
John held OFF for more, but finding
that Scraggs was firm he finally ac-
cepted the offer. ScragGs got out his
papers and began making out the notes
and mortgage.
s'Hold on.a minute, said John. 'Let
US know something about the terms.
see you advertised them as easy"
''Yes, long time and easy terms
Scraggs repeated.
ssWell.'' said John. what are they?"
'sWhy, as to time, you can have three
to FIVE years. We don't loan on less
than three years"
ssAnd I've got to pay interest on
the money that long whether need it
so long or not?'
eyes, that's our rule"
'sAnd as to ter,ns?''
''Weu, we make that easy, I;Essure
you, Only nine per cent
That's not bad"
Then there's littlo matter Of COM
missions, you know, to be added in.
Let's see: it will amount to about four
per cent, reckon, making eighteen
dollars for interest and eight dollars per
year for missions-twerty-si dol
lars in all. Then you give US your note
for two hundred and we pay you one
hundred and fifty
zone hundred and ffty?" John re-
peated. What becomes Of the other
ffty?"
THAT is kept back as premium"
s'Great God, man, do you want me to
take one hundred and fifty dollars and
pay you seventv-eight dollars for the
use Of it three years, and then at the
end Of three years pay you two hum
dred? Is that what you mean?'
Eyes, if you wish to put it in that
way"
s'And you call that easy terms?"
''Can you get any that are easier?"
Scraggs answered, with provoking
calmness.
Green made no reply but sank back
in his chair perfectly duufounded,
and sat there staring At the agent in
blank wonder. Scraggs waited some
time. then turning about said, care
lessly:
''Do you want the loan?'
''No, don't want to be robbed"
Green replied, land you offer to do
nothing else"
Scraggs drew out the drawer and be-
gan replacing the papers in his desk.
1T don't matter to me- he said,
whether you accept the accommoda-
ton or not. There's plenty OF calls for
the money, so we are none the worse
off if you don't take it.
Accommodation, Green repeated.
SIS that what you call it?''
''Scs"
~ have heard robbery called a good
many things in my time, but l never
hao~d II called thai inf1>-, y
Scracgs smiled complaccntlv as he
finished placing the papers and closed
and locked the drawer. He was in the
position of man having all the ad
vantages, for he had the only money
there was to loan in all that section
and he knew the people were COM
PEELED to have it, and, let them grumble
sooner ~ later come to his terms
and accept them as q favor. So
he could afford to smile with the
complacency Of an angel as he listened
to Green's words. He knew well
enough that Green would be glad 70
get the money on any terms, 50 it was
not necessary for him to use any argu-
matter. With calm Indifference he
turned his attention to some other af-
fair, totally ignoring john Green's
presence.
John and Mary left the Office and on
the outside they talked the matter over
for several minutes They agreed that
it was an outrage to be forced TO sub
.s. I. IL 7 r.
but they could see no way to avoid it.
1t was simply that or starvation.
''We'll have to accept his terms,
john" Mary said, ''ior were in his
: tolls and he knows it. Well have to