, 1897-10-01
he says, an handed me thi,," conclud.

lSam. as he drew a letter from his pock-
let l. was dated from an Ohio village
and read as follows:
My Own iDear Husband-Your low
ing letter received yesterday. but it
found US, oh, 8 70 d~ownhearted and wish
ing sor papa. Dear husband, it seems
ahat cur troubles will never end. Mr..
IRhoades has changed his mind and will
foreciose the mortgage. You know ne
said before you wen away tina ii we
paid the interest up he would LEI it
stand awhile longer. Wen. when the
mortgage Was due l sold the cow and
took some of the money you left me to
live on and paid the six months back
interest. Now he says. as the mortgage
is due he must have his money and will
soreclose. I tried all the companies and
banks to borrow The money to pay him,
but they all say that $4,000 Is 90 big a
loan on the place; they won't loan over
81 500, and he won't take a second mort
gage to secure the other $500. Yet il
does seem hard, when the place ought
20 he worth three times $500. I've
tried every way to sell it, but l can't
get no n to give anything above the
mortgage. Everybody knows it is mort
gagged and are waiting to buy it at sher>
IFS sale. Rhoades knows this, too. and
now he a it will save us lois OF trou,
BILE and costs if we will give him a quit.
claim deed and surrender peaceable pos
session. l begged him to wait awhile.
but after he had learned you had gone
out to the mines he said he would not
wa. a day; that you were on a Wild
goose chase, and. dear husband, he even
lntimated that he believed you were
never coming back 10 us. That made me
angry and l may have said things to
him tina; should not, but l could not
help it. Now, dear husband. l can not
stay here after having sold the cow,
there's nothing to do here. you know,
except washing and ironing and house.
cleaning, and I am not strong enough
Tor that. Mrs. Simmons will take Bes.
sic and let her help with the homework
and go to school. and I will sell the
chickens. pigs and furniture. and take
little Charlie and go to Cleveland to try
20 get sewing or something 1t will be,
oh, 30 hard, but it car lot be helped.
Now. dear husband, do not worry; we
will get along some way. Remember
the words OF the prophet: Once l was
young, but now ! am old. but never have
I seen The righteous forsaken or THEN
seed begging bread Now, dear hus>
band. take care of your health. and II
you do not find anything out there soon.
come back to us. we miss you, oh. 50
much. Every night Bessie prays for her
pap. way out in the mines and that
he may find something rich. You may
be sure that l echo her prayers. White
as o % as you get this. dear husband,
for l car not stay here long. Your low
ing wife, MAGGIE"
This Letter was passed around; two or
three started to read it aloud, but they
broke down, and it was silently passed
from n to another. 1t was we'll for
Mr.. Rhoades that he was not in camp.
..,,,.n 49, a.
that he got from his fathers estate close
to town. an he bought five more toinin'
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