The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-07-10


Indiana street, where he was living, and
the upshot of many interviews and con-
versations was that he offered this cot
tage, with lot, to Amund for So, 600,
possession to be granted when 81, 200
had been paid, and a mortgage to be
given for the remaining amount. 1t
seemed all SO perfectly fair and square
that Amund, after having got the price
down to 81, 800 and the furniture thrown
in, had no hesitation in closing the bar
gain He paid over to Farley the $500
which he had then accumulated and
received an acknowledgment of the
amount from him, with promise Of deed
on payment Of $40O more.
Then he picked out the room which
was to belong to the Little Chap (the
girls might take what was Left, and all
day long during his work he hummed
to himself or broke into snatches Of I'M
melodious song at the thought of the
Little Chaps pleasure in that room and
the furniture which he would make
with his own hands for the Little
Chaps comfort He worked with will
now and would scarcely grant himself
time for sleep, for every blow with his
hammer and every whiz Of his saw
brought the Little Chap nearer.
Then another year passed. Month by
month Amund handed over his savings
to Farley, who pocketed them in cool,
businesslike manner, and at last, when
the 81, 200 had been paid, he kept his
word and gave a deed of the property
to the carpenter. Joyously then Amund
wrote to his wife, telling her to make
no delay in coming, for he had now a
home of his own in which to receive
her and the children. And 1t was all
furnished, and there was a separate
room for the Little Chap-God bless
himl-where he could keep all his funny
little traps so that his sisters wouldn' t
annoy him.
Much he wrote in this strain, for his
heart was overbrimming with joy, and
life seemed brighter and more beautiful
to him than ever before. The only thing
that troubled him little was the fact
that the family who lived in the house
had not yet moved out. But Farley ex-
planned that their lease did not expire
until April 1, and that in the meanwhile
he would have to be patient. On April
2 they would 10 gone, and then he could
take possession.
1 shall not attempt to describe the
meeting between the Little Chap and
his dad. It was just the I'd of April
when the family arrived in Chicago
and were put, like so much baggage,
into an express wagon and driven to
West Indiana street. Amund ran up the
front steps with the Little Chap in his
arms to show off his cottage, and the
wife and the five girls, all bundled up
with scarfs until they looked like walk
ing haystacks, scrambled out of the
wagon as best they could. Farley had
promised to be there with the keys, and
formally put the new owner in posses
sion. 1t annoyed Amund good deal
when his first and second ring at the
doorbell remained unanswered, and still
more annoyed was he when at the third
man who had not the least resem-
blance to Farley opened the door and
asked him, in language more vigorous
than polite, what he wanted
IL have bought this house, y Am
und said, with an air of righteous in.
dignation, and I was told by Mr.. Far
ley that you were to move out on the
LIST of April. "
The occupant of the house smiled al
extremely unpleasant smile and asked
toldly, "Whom did you buy it OFF,
''Mr. Farley.
"That is a great pity, for he never
owned it. F."
"But where is her He promised me
the keys last night. -
HE has gone west. .
"Gone west?' An icy terror clutcheo
at the Norseman's heart, and he reeled
backward as if he had been struck.
GOOD Godp' he groaned, sinking down
upon the topmost step. Good GodP'
The Little Chap, seeing his distress,
wound his arms tightly about his neck
and rubbed his cheek against his face.
He sat thus for five or ten minutes,
while the five blond bundled up girls
stood on the sidewalk staring at him
with innocent stupidity. Then the man
of the house reappeared and ordered
them in harsh language to move on.
/ And when they only continued to stare
in uncomprehending wonder two po'
licemen We're sent for, and the whole
family were huddled into patrol wag'
on and driven to the nearest police sta
iton. There Amund, under the stress Of
answering the required questions was
aroused sufficiently from his dumb mis-
cry to send for a Norwegian lawyer, who
presently made his appearance. He lis
tened to the carpenters story and ther
shook his head mournfully.
"You have been swindled, my
friend, . he said. ''You ought to have
been more cautious
"But-but, lawyer, " the poor fellow
went on, gazing into his face, with al
anguished expectancy, ''he-he-solc
me-the house-and here I've got the
papers. It's all right, surely Amt it,
lawyer"
The lawyer looked at the paper which
was handed him and then dropped il
contemptuously ON the floor.
"A very clumsy forgery, y he said.
-but-he couldn't surely sci.
me-what-what didn't belong to him,
lawyer"
Eyes, he could, if any one was foo
enough to buy. P"
''But, lawyer say, lawyer-do yor
mean to say now. that-that have
worked and shaved nigh on to three
years, and often starved and skimpec
myself, for the Little Chaps sake-dC
you mean to say that-that man is tC
have it, and not my Little Chap?"
Beads of cold perspiration burst out
upon his brow, and the panied wonder
and stunned bewilderment in his face
were pitiful to behold His slow wits
could not yet grasp the situation, and
he was obviously hoping against hops
that there was some terrible misun.
derstanding at the bottom of it all, and
that sooner or later it would be cleared
up.
The lawyer had in all his practice
never encountered so heartrending d
case He weighed his words well before
he answered, My dear friend, you
have paid dearly for your first expert
ence in the new world.
Amund, taking slowly the bearings
of this remark, stood before him with q
vacant Look of dawning terror; then
tremblingly he raised his hands toward
the ceiling and cried, with frightful
energy, but, God, what are you doing
up there in heaven when such things
can happen upon the earthP'
There was hush as of death in the
station room. In the presence of SC
monstrous wrong every one stood
helpless and little awed. After the
terrible explosion of despair Amund's
head dropped upon his breast, his knees
tottered, and he fell in a heap upon the
floor.
The Little Chap, who had stood with
his hands in his pockets, a puzzled frown
mon his face during this strange scene,