Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-09-23


pect is discouraging, but there will be !
a way of getting through it. Next year 4
I'VE shall raise good crops and have /
plenty, and only few short months of 4
privation lie between now and then"
! Eyes, it may be as you say, John,"
Mary replied; ''but how are we to live |
through those few months? You know |
we have no provisions, not enough to
supply our wants for another week, |
and no money to buy more. There Is
not a particle Of flour or meal in the
house, and Louise has gone now to try |
to get some from the store. Markham
has refused us credit, but surely he
won't deny her when he knows that we,
must have it or starve." 4
For little while a perfect silence
reigned. Mary sobbed on her husbands
breast like q heart-broken child, while
John gazed vacantly out into the
gathering darkness, now and then
drawing his rough, soiled sleeve across
his eyes. A minute or two passed SO,
and then John spoke.
eve must have money, Mary" he
said, ito tide us over this spell. 1t
won't take a great deal, and we must
get it."
GLOW can we get it?" Mary asked.
and that is O way that I. do not like. 1t
is way that / have fought against
and hoped never to have to resort to.
We must borrow the money. Mary, and
give a mortgage on the farm"
ooh, John! Johnl'' Mary cried, start,
ing up. Don't speak of such a thing.
Surely you have not forgotten what we
passed through back there at the old
home?"
"No, wife. 1 have not forgotten, and
never shall"
''Then do not talk of mortgaging the
claim, for it is all we have left to us,
and to mortgage it is to lose it,
s'But, Mary, we must live, and that
is the only thing we can do to get+pro-
visions. We cannot starve."
''No, we cannot starve; but 1t Is hard
to lose our home and again go into the
world penuiless."
John pretended to take more cheer
full view of the situation, and it is
probable that he managed to delude
| himself to some extent. Anyhow, his
voice resumed a little of its old-time
ring and his eyes grew brighter as he
said:
eve will notn need much money, wife,
and with good crop next year we can
repay it easily. Now here is an adver-
tisement in this paper of money to loan
on long time and easy terms. Three
hundred dollars would tide us over
nicely, and as the claim Is worth d
thousand, we can no doubt get oil the
time we want on so small an amount,
only so we keep the interest paid. I've
been thinking the matter over, and 1t
seems to me that if we gave mortgage
for two or three hundred dollars we
wouldn't have anything to worry over. "
1t was some time before Mary made
any reply to this, and when she did, she
: said:
81 wish I could think your statement
correct, John, and could believe that
the debt would be SO easily paid off;
but no matter about that, for the mort
gage will have to be given, and perhaps
we ought to feel thankful that we have
that means of prolonging our lives.
Who has the money to loan?"
''Scraggs."
"Then you will go down tomorrow
and see about getting it?"
eyes, it had as well be done at once.
If we are to borrow it, there is no use
to delay. 1 will drive over and take
you with me, so that the papers can be
made out and the business all complet
ed tomorrow"
Soon Louise returned empty-handeC
from the store, Markham having agar
refused to let any goods go withou
money. Louise had been crying anC
r there were still tears in her eyes whe1
she reached her parents.
"What is the matter?" the mothe
g asked. ''What did Markham say?"
o Louise hesitated, hung her head ant
= fingered her dress nervously. 1t wa
@ plain she did not want to relate wha
IS Markham had said. The mother repeat
q ed her question, and Louise, having n
g. other alternative, replied:
" "He went on dreadfully, mother, an
l he made me cry"
g. "What was it he said2"
Il ooh, lots of things. He said h
o' wouldn't sell US any more goods witt
u out money, and that he was not so ric
- that he could feed paupers, and b
~ wasn't going to try. We would have
J., pay money or go hungry and he didn
care which. / didn't cry while we
~ there, but I felt so hurt that coul
- hardly keep back the tears, and when
got out Of sight broke down and had
W long cry. Oh, how wish old Mr.. Mari
= ham was like-like-"
70 "Lilxe who2" John Green asked
~ "Like-like you, pa" said the CIR
e. only too plainly terminating her speed
A. in way totally different from VIII;
N she had originally intended.
r. Young as Louise was she was in 1o'
to with Paul Markham, and she blusht
at at the mention of his name, and Fl
It fear of betraying herself avoided it
is much as possible.
She did not tell her parents how Par
"A having overheard her interview wi
l. his father, had followed her away fro
70 the store, and came to her out on t.
prairie where she stopped to cry; n
w how he had spoken such consoling al
A. cheering "ofoS' "A"' "oOOo* 0'AAA'