The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-01-04
CHAPTER v.


I shall never forget the ride to Ohm
stead that day through the feather
SNOW" There Is no man 50 entertain
ing as an old lawyer when he gets
leave OF his caution to tap his store OF
"reminiscences. Martin Harmon had
practiced law at Hardinsville for
thirty years. and for him every road
leading into the country town was
thrOnged with memories. He knew
every man we met and every house we
passed. Despite the cold, was sorry
the end of the journey came so soon.
After dinner at the hotel, l walked
with him to the house where Sadie
Harrington lodged. She was attending
school in the town. preparatory to
teaching. We had been friends from
childhood. Her mother had lived in a
small place cut Off from the north side
of the Cedney farm. Her husband had
been a dissolute vagabond. who squan-
dercd all she had except this little
tract. and after his death she and her
daughter would no doubt have suffered
but for the secret bencfactiOns OF the
man who owned her ancestral home.
These afforded much amusement 10
neighbOrs. being regarded as indirect
approaches to the widow.
slider them as offerings made by a
guilty man to ease a troubled con-
science. According to them, and in
deed. by universal rumOr, joel Pike
had in some mystic: iOus and wrongful
manner come into possession of the
Gedney farm where he had lived since
the death OF its former owner. Joshua
Gedney had been one Of the most pros,
porous AMI prominent men in the cOun-
try round. joel Pike had worked for
him when young man and was much
esteemed by his employer. He was
said to have been Il very handsome and
ObIiging young fellow, who, seemed de-
voted heart and soul to his employers
daughter, Susan Gedney, then young
girl. 1t was u matter of surprise,
therefore, when he suddenly left Gcd-
ney's service. went West, and only re-
turned after several years. He had
been among the first to reach Califor-
MIA after the discovery of gold and was
said to have been one of the most sue
ccssful of these early adyenturers. If
he brought any money back with him,
however. no one saw 1t. He found his
carly sweetheart married-a fact which
seemed to greatly disconcert him,
though he said little about it. He re-
manned in the neighbOrhCOd only q
short time ana nothing more was heard
OF him until three or four years later,
ne turned mp on the death of Joshua
Gedney, as the owner of the whole
farln, some three hundred acres. except
twenty acres with u small house and
orchard reserved for life to the daugh-
ter. For this he claimed to have paid
$4,000 in gold, at that time IA much
larger sum than it would be considered
now. In proof of this he showed not
only Joshua Gedney's deed, but also a
receipt for money witnessed by the
husband of Susan. The deed was duly
acknowledged by the maker.
The mystery was, what had become
of the III ,ney? Harrington denied all
knowledge Of the matter and limited
that he must have been drunk when he
signed the receipt. On the whole,
there was a general belief that in some
way or other Il fraud of the most afro
ciOus character had been committed.
The new owner would make no eXpla-
nation He told his old employers
daughter she was welcome to occupy
the premises rent free as long as she
lived. but her husband must not CINE
upon them. OF course she refused.
Not long afterwards there was con-
dict between the two men. No one
knew how it came about, but Harring-
ton was reported to have been terribly
beaten. joel Pike moved on his new
farm, put it in complete repair and
stocked it with the best the country
could afford. He seemed to have all
the money he required, but made no
show. nor could anyone obtain any re-
liable knowledge as to his wealth. He
hired such labor as he required. but
would allow no woman to enter the
house. where he lived absolutely alone.
Indeed, it was said no one had pene-
4trated farther than the hall since his
OCCUPANCY began. \ horse which be-
lOnged to him when he went away, he
had left with Susan. who had used it
during his absence. When he left the
place he requested her to take the
horse. On her refusal. he shot the an
imal and had never owned another.
These things. and many other stories
illustrative Of his eccentricity and av-
arice had heard while teaching the
public school of the district. Sadie had
been one of my pupils, and. though |