Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1898-07-09

Frederick Freunning is nearly 70
years old. He has seen his family and
home slip away from him, until there
Is nothing left but few battered rem
nants of furniture with which he has
surrounded himself in the cellar of his
buildings which were once his have
passed from him. He did not sell them
them and has profited nothing by their
rapid increase In value. He borrowed
perhaps one-sixth of what the prop
erty was worth and permitted the
deed OF trust to be foreclosed. The
sale brought not enough to pay the
mort gage, and the old homestead with
its adjacent cottages passed into the
possession of another man. Old Freun-
ming knew that he was in bad fix,
but he believed THAI he still had some
rights to the property and refused to
move out. His former tenants quit
paying him their rent. Then the new
owner gave him orders to move and
rented the house to strange family.
Freunning was frightened and went to
see his lawyer. He could submit to
the loss of his rents, his grounds and
his money, but he must have place
to shelter him at night He is lone
ly old man. His first wife is long
dead. His second wife divorced him.
His children think he is queer and
leave him alone. He is old. He has
lost his grip and does business like a
child. Freunning doesn't know whether
he was swindled or whether he Just
threw his chances away. A few weeks
ago the furniture vans began to lay
down stuff at his doors. A strange
family came, and old Freunning was
frightened. He is a peaceful, timid
old man, and he took shelter in the
cellar. He rugged up an old stove and
table, piled his stuff up on the earthen
floor and locked the cellar doors. 1t
was cold and musty, but the damp
wind could not reach him, and there
was a good roof above his head. The
new tenant did not offer to modest him.
She moved into the building and took
some pains to accommodate the old
man, but he seemed very queer and
stayed in his cellar. Then the land
lord threatened to sue him for posses
sion. Meanwhile, however, the neigh
Dors have been very kind to old Freun-
ming. Many of them have been ten
ants in his houses and they cannot
suffer the old fellow to want. Imme-
diately adjoining the house where he
lives on the west are two comfortable
little cottages the inmates of which
nave been paying rent to Mr.. Freun-
nlng Tor nearly twenty years. Their
sympathies are with him and every
morning, noon and night a messenger
Is sent to the cellar window to ask what
Papa freunning wants. His dim can
uie may be seen through the dusty
windows OF the basement at night and
ne accepts the charity of those who |
remember him as wealthy man. with
a sad old heart. He gathers fuel for
MS old cracked cook stove during the |
Jay and waits in grim silence the re- |
suit OF the suit which may drive him /
from his former possessions into the |
street. His collection of old furniture
S very much the worse for wear and
has but little value. Freunning's once
oeautifui home stands upon a broad
ieep lot nearly 300 feet square and set
with fruit trees, vines and shrubbery.
in the west end of the lot are two
'mau cottages where well-to-do ten
lnts still maintain nice little homes.
me houses and grounds have been per-
nitted to fall into decay, but still bear
OF natural beauty and de-
'arted afiuence. Steps win be taken
y MIR. freunning's friends to have the
ormer sale, under a deed of trust. set
side. 1t Is believed that a guardian
mould be appointed to care for the old
elbow and his property, and his at
orneys have the matter under advise
nent now.