The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-04-26


expensive the prescriptions the doc
tors write out.
Although it was still early spring
and the weather raw, Clinton went
without an ovorcoat; he left that and
his dress suit with his "uncle," as Sc
curity for ten dollars His watch,
given him by his aunt on lis twenty
frs, birthday, and the little opal pin.
presented him by Edna the week after
their engagement, went to the same
accommodating relative, but still he
was unable 10 meet the next month's s
rent and his landlord was terror.
You amt got no place, and there
don't appear To be no chance of your
| gettin' one" said Harding. the land
lord, when Clinton brougl an excuse
instead of the expected rem Snow,
young man. lm not in tn. business
for my health, So il you don't pay this
months rent and the next month 5
according To contract NJ half-past
three on the first day of ext month,
you must vscatc the fiat, and I'll take
measures TO get what yo owe me,
that's all.
Clinton told of the mab places he
was promised, but Harding had often
heard such stoi les before. Seeing the
failure of this line of argument, the
young man spoke of his wife's prop
erty. into the possession OF which she
would shortly come, when he, Clin-
ton. would hug house of his own,
and he would thank Mr.. Harding if
he kept his eyes open for a bargain.
This last argument seemed to sur
prise the old real estate man, and AS
we shall see presently, the informa-
tion saved Clinton N way he had
never dreamed of.
Time crawls when money is expect
ed; his wings move with electric
| quickness when r.oney has to be paid.
The month flew past, finding the
young wife still far from strong, the
baby vigorous aud vociferous, particu-
larly at night, the money secured
from the pawn shop exhausted and the
chances Of getting a place worse than
ever.
eff you don't raise money by Civ
ing a chattel mortgage on your be-
longings, said n young, impecunious
legal friend, to whom Clinton made
known his poverty, Harding will
dispossess you aud swoop down on the
stuff. | can get you eighty dollars at
| forty per cent. for six months on your
goods, and that will pay your rent
and help You out"
But if can't pay when its due?"
urged Clinton.
well, you'll I've dead broke, that's
all, and you're pretty near that now,
said his friend.
The only trouble about that is
that | want to keep the true state of
affairs from Edna. Why, she doesn't
know I'm out of work. ! couldn't
find il in my heart to tell her, said
Clinton.
w9a:, hss 'bS' . 10 with the
caattel mortgage
"It has this to do with il, that to
give il value, 1t must have her sigma
ture.
'well?"
"Well, I can't get her signature
without explaining
"Yo1 can't?'
"No.
Then vour wife doesn't trust you
aS much NJ YOU think. Go to her, tell
her in coaSing way, its little busi-
ness matter to which You want her
signature, and that as il may be a
pleasant surprise to her, after bit,
and all :hat sort of thing and she will
sign 1t without question. She'll fall
in with the joke, urged the friend.
Clinton Weldon followed out these
instructions to the letter. He made
ont a chattel mortgage for everything
but the baby's crib, got "A smile onto
himself rs he facetiously expressed it
when telling the story, and asked his
wife to- sign.
"She wanted to read the whole
thing, but with sweat on my brow in
big glohules and forced laugh on nv
lips, | begged her not to (; and to my
great relief she signed, saying as she
did SO, i am sure this means for.
tune, Clint, " explained Clinton to his
friend,
the last day when the Young man ex-
changed the chattel mortgage for
eighty dollars, nearly all in crisp, new
one dollar bills.
Placing the money between the
leaves of his receipt book, he pulled
hls hat over his eyes, and with the
book graSped tightly in his hand, he
fairly flew for the real estate Office of
Mr., Harding To his horror it was
twenty-five minutes TO four when he
Ieached there, and the boy in charge
said that his employer had just gone
out
Questioned as to where he had gone,
the boy said to an auction sale of real
estate on the next street.
With visions of his wife and little
one being thrown into the street that
night, Clinton ran in breathless haste
to the auction room, which he found
crowded.