The Rugby news. (Rugby, Morgan County, Tenn.) 1890-189?, 1891-01-10
A SUBSTITUTE.
How He Cleared the Sky of It's
Dark Clouds for Nettie.

Oberon. At least our house was in the
village, and the forty-acre farm ran
back to the banks of Lash creek, which
was our southern boundary.
Our family consisted of father,
mother, brother Ralph, and me. Ralph
enlisted in company of infantry, Or
ganized about Oberon in 1861, though
he was only twenty years OF age. No
one thought the war would last long,
and father said it was the duty of all
loyal citizens to assist in putting down
the rebellion. So we felt proud Of our
Ralph when he bade us goodbye, and
the company marched out of town in
their new blue uniforms, and with their
glittering muskets though tears were
in all our eyes. "Don't cry" said
father, Ralph will be back by harvest
time"
But Ralph wasn't back for year, and
when he did come he had left one arm
behind him on the battlefield. His
soldier days were over. 1t was in the
spring ofs62, and was just seventeen
years old.
Ralph's constitution was very much
shattered, and it was fully a year be-
fore he could do any work. Then, of
course. he couldn't do much on the
farm, so father mortgaged it for five
hundred dollars and sent Ralph to Gin
cinnati to study medicine. He said:
"My boy must have work that can be
done with one arm"
Ralph had been gone less than three
months when the first draft was made,
and father was drafted He was just
within the limit, as he had not quite
completed his forty-ffth year. He
couldn't go and leave no one at home
but mother and me; so he found sub
stitute, and to pay him mortgaged the
farm for five hundred dollars more.
The two debts worried father greatly.
A man named Joel Griffin, who lived in
the village, held both mortgages. He
was the owner of grist-mill, and il
was said that he made most of his
money by robbing the farmers in. tax.
ing toll He was as old as father, and a
dried-up little man, always winking
and blinking. used to cross the road
to keep from meeting him, but he
seemed to try to meet me; and he would
put out his hand, which, of course,
couldn't refuse to take.
"Good-morning, Miss Nettie; you look
positively charming this morning; yor
do, indeed. Do you know, Miss Nettie
if wasn't so old I'd be looking for {
wife; ! would, indeed. Yes, and
wouldn't look far, Miss Nettie; no,
wouldn't look far"
The mortgages were drawn for one
year Griffin had told father hi
wouldn't loan the money for longel
t,rm, but that if the interest was pait
promptly he would take new notes an(
extend the mortgace another year.
Father died before the first mortgag,
fell due, three months after engagins
his substitute. Ralph came home t,
the funeral, and remained only abou
two weeks. He spoke of giving up hi
studies and trying to work the farm
but neither mother nor i would lister
to that.
why, how will you ever manage t.
meet those mortgages?" asked Ralph.
II don't know, Ralph" mother had re
piled, 'but the Lord will provide
way
when are they due?" inquire,
Ralph. Mother got out fathers &C
count-book The first was due May II
1864, the second July IS, 1864
'It will be nearly two years yet,
said Ralph, ''before can hope for d
ploma, and it will take some time t
build up practice. trust that if W
can manage till then our troubles vii
be over"
Ralph went back. In January ther
was another draft which took our hire
man, John Gober, and mother and
were left alone on the farm. About
week after John Gober had been drafte
Twas sitting in the front room sewin
when heard step on the piazza, an
as looked out saw young man steI