The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-09-30

How can we get it?" Mary asked.
eve can get it in but one way, Mary
and that is 4 way that do not like. II
is a way that have fought against
and hoped never to have to resort to
We must borrow the money, Mary, and
give mortgage on the farm"
':Oh, John. John" Mary cried, start
ing up. Don't speak of such thing
Surely you have not forgotten what we
passed through back there at the ole
home?"
NO, wife, I have not forgotten, and
never shall"
Then do not talk Of rnortgaging the
claim, for it is all we have left to US
and to mortgage it is to lose it,
But, Mary, we must live, and that
is the only thing we can do to get pro
visions. We cannot starve."
'sNo, we cannot starve; but it is hard
to lose our home and again go into the
world penniless.
John pretended to take a more cheer
full view of the situation, and it is
probable that he managed to deludc
himself to some extent. Anyhow, his
voice resumed q little of its old-time
ring and his eyes grew brighter as he
said:
Eve will not need much money, wife,
and with q 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 a
thousand, we can no doubt get all the
time we want on so small IN amount,
only so we keep the interest paid. I've
been thinking the matter over, and Ii
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:
II wish 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?"
'Yes, it had as well be done at once.
II we are to borrow it, there is no use
to delay. I 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-handed
from the store, Markham having again
refused to let any goods go without
money Louise had been crying and
there were still tears in her eyes when
she reached her parents.
"What is the matter?" the mother
asked. What did Markham say?"
Louise hesitated, hung her head and
fingered her dress nervously. 1t was
plain she did not want to relate what
Markham had said. The mother repeat
ed her question, and Louise, having no
other alternative, replied:
she went on dreadfully, mother, and
he made me cry"
"What was it he said?'
'Oh, lots of things. He said he
wouldn't sell US any more goods with
out money, and that he was not so rich
that he could feed paupers, and he
wasn't going to try. We would have to
pay money or go hungry and he didn't
care which I didn't cry while I was
there, but I felt so hurt that could
hardly keep back the tears, and when
got out of sight broke down and had
long cry. Oh, how wish old Mr.. Mark
ham was like-like-"
Like who?" John Green asked.
@'Like-like you, pa" said the girl,
only too plainly terminating her speech
in q way totally different from what
she had originally intended.
Young as Louise was she was in love
with Paul Markham, and she blushed
at the mention of his name, and for
fear of betraying herself avoided it as
much as possible.
She did not tell her parents how Paul,
having overheard her interview with
his father, had followed her away from
the store, and came to her out on the
prairie where she stopped to cry: noI
how he had spoken such consoing and
cheering words, and, better still, offered
to loan her portion of his small sun
Of money. sAe had accepted his hnt
words ,hacksAxlty and deaii-. ed his prof
cred loan vesa equal gTs,etulness, ant
she felt that she had done perfectly
right, so there was no harm in keeping
her own counsel.
Well" said John, breaking long
pause, Markham has shown what sor.
of man he is. 1t was bad enough t
deny us a little favor after all the money
we have spent with him, and he nigh
have spared himself the trouble o.
adding insult to injury. Because we
have had misfortH1es and are poor i
does not follow that every one has
right to speak Of us as paupers. To-mor
row we shall have money with which
to buy goods, and not dollar Of it goes
/ to Markham-not one cent of it"
Having delivered himself thus JOIN
Green hastened to drop the subject ant
take up one more pleasant, and fol
an hour he and his wife talked about
the future, drawing pictures Of prosper
Gus days and happy situations, a:
though good times and prosperity wer'
assured facts. No doubt the full inten
ton of each was to delude the other
and, however well they succeeded, eacl
retired to bed that night feeling tina
the game had been productive Of mucl
! good. since both made pretense of be
ing greatly relieved.
1t was 3 long time, though, before
either John or his wife slept, though
they both affected to have fallen asleel
directly. In the quiet of the night the
thought of that mortgage came bacl
| in full torce and they We're troubled
o,, account of it. Though they trle(