River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-01-08
A SUBSTITUTE.
How He Cleared the Sky of It's
Dark Clouds for Nett.e.

was our southern boundary.
Our family consisted of father,
mother, brother Ralph, and me. Ralph
enlisted in company of infantry, or
ganized about 0beron in 1861. though
he was only twenty years of age. No
one thought the war would last long.
and father said it was tho duty of all
loyal citizens to assist in putting down
the rebellion. So We felt proud of our
Ralph when he babe US goodbye, and
the company marched ouG 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 of '62, and was just seventeen
years old.
Ralphs constitution was very much
shattered, and it was fully 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 10 Gin
cinnati to study medicine. He said:
MY boy must have work that can be
done with one arm
Ralp 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-fifth 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 it
was said that he made most of his
money by robbing the farmers in TAX
ing toll. He was as old as father, and
dried-up little man, always winking
and blinking. 1 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; you
do, indeed. Do you know, Miss Nettie,
If l wasn't so old I'd be looking for a
wife; l 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 he
wouldn't loan the money for longer
term, but that if the interest was paid
promptly he would take new notes and
extend the mortgage another year.
Father died before the first mortgage
fell due, three months after engaging
his substitute. Ralph came home to
the funeral, and remained only about
two weeks. He spoke of giving up his
studies and trying to work the farm,
but neither mother nor / would listen
TO that.
why, how will you ever manage to
meet those mortgages?" asked Ralph.
81 don't know, Ralph" mother had re-
piled, ''but the Lord will provide
way"
.'When are they due?" inquired
Ralph. Mother got out fathers ac-
count-book. The first was due May IL,
1864, the second July %, 1864
ut will be nearly two years yet
said Ralph, before can hope for di
ploma, and it will take some time to
build up a practice. | trust that if we
can manage till then our troubles will
be over"
Ralph went back. In January there
was another draft which took our hired
man, John Gober, and mother and l
were left alone on the farm. About
week after John Gober had been drafted
| was sitting in the front room sewing
when heard step on the piazza, and
as looked out saw young man step
ping up TO the front door. ! opened the
door when he knocked. SIS this the
Morris farm?" he asked.
st is" 1 replied.
II am looking for work." said he,
land heard that the hired man here had
been drafted, and l thought you might
want another"
'I'll call mother" said i; ''come in, "
and gave him a chair. Mother came
in pretty soon and said: "Ies, we do
need hired man if any one ever did,
for we're all alone on the farm with
horses, and cattle, and hogs TO look
after, and a crop to put in in the spring
that is, if we don't lose the farm-but
you don't look as if you could do farm
work. How old are you?"
"Twenty-three." was the answer.
"What is your name?" said mother.
George Marvin" he replied. Il
haven't been in the country long. My
father was killed in the service; my
mother has since died. My only sister
10, ,,,f4h ,,pnIa in Rraifard I
enlisted, but the examining physicians
wouldn't accept me- They said some-
thing was wrong with my lungs, but |
don't believe it. guess look so white
from being in the house so much. I've
been writing a book for the last three
months, and now 1 want outdoor exer-
else"
Writing a fiddlestick!" said mother;
you're throwing away your time. Can
you milk cows?''
Il can try" said George.
well, that's something" said moth |
er. "Nettie can show you how. You |
can stay. but ! can't tell what we can |
pay you yet till we see what you can do" |
So George Marvin became our hired |
man. liked George from the first. but |
he didn't know much about farm work, |
though he soon got used to it, and it |
brought color into his cheeks.
Joel Griffin had been at our house |
pretty often since fathers death, though |
| generally managed to escape from the |
room and leave him to talk with mother. |
| thought he was uneasy about his |
money. One evening after he had gone |
mother called me in and said: ''Nettie, |
what do you think? All our troubles |
are at an end-mortgages paid and all"
why, mother. how is that?' said /.
Girl" said mother. you don't know 1
your good fortune. Joel Griffin has |
asked me for your hand"
''And what did you answer him,
mother?"
Answer him." said mother, how /
could I answer him but one way?
gave my consent and told him your
answer would probably be the same /
as mine, and he's coming tomorrow
night for your answer. He says he'll
release both the mortgages il you'll be-
come his wife"
well" said /. 81 never viii, that's
sure. / hate him"
you've got every thing in your own
hands," said mother. "Iou can save
this property to yourself and Ralph
and me in my old age, insure your
brothers finishing his studies and get
ting his diploma You know with one
arm he never could succeed in life with
put profession. You can marry man