The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-11-02

DOuStuOIu tntNAH Nflf w ~
sold at public auction by the Sheriff
of the county. He had failed" and
now he was to be sold out" Many
of his neighbors said they were dread
full sorry for the Harts." They de-
clared it was "all Lyman's own fault
Old. Nat Dake, the richest man IN
town, and one who had never been
known 10 give away dollar, SAID
sagely:
"It is all very well 10 talk about
gen'rosity, but there's such thing as
being just before you are gen'rous'
and I've told Lyman Hart so many
time No man can give away as reck-
less as he did and keep roof over
his head. Charity's all right, but the
place for il to begin is at homo. There
amt been a week i'm the past ten
years when Lyman Hart amt had
some one hangin' on TO him that hadn't
no claim on him, an that he'd ought
10 Lave sent 10 the poOrhOuse. And
now he's being sOId out because he
can't pay his taxes nor the mortgages
on his place and furniture
Nat Dake did not add, but every
one knew, that he held most Of the
notes and mortgages Lyman Hart
could not pay. They knew that these
notes and mortgages called for n rate
of interest higher than old Nat Drake
could have exacted had he not taken
advantage OF Lyman IIarts extreme
necessity.
They knew further that Nat Dakc
had long coveted the Hart farm be-
cause IL adjoined his own. and that he
secretly rejoiced over the distress
which enabled him to take the farm
from Lyman Hart
Even his kinder and trucr friends
were of the opinion that Lyman Hart
had not been wise.
He las taken in anG done for them
that had no earthly claim on him.
said garrulous old Ann Ilaskins who
had known Lyman from his boyhood
and whose sorrow for him was sin
cere. What earthly claim dId his
cousins widow and her three children
have on him that ne should keep them
whole year after his cousin died and
left them without penny in the
world?
And when old Nancy David's hus-
band died and they were taking her to
the poorhouse If Lyman Hart didn't
meet the keeper OF the poor farm with
old Nancy i'm his wagon, and because
she was wailing and crying, what did
Lyman doy He just got right out of
his wagon and lifted her and her poor
little bundle of clothes into IT, and
took her home with him, and kept her
there until she died, two years later"
He said he did il because old Nancy
and his mother had been great friends.
and because he said Nancy had been
good To him when he was boy. and
had nursed his mother through her
last sickness. That was Lyme Hart all
over"
Lyman. in his great generosity, had
often loaned money unwiscly. lie had
endorsed notes for others because they
were unfortunate, and he had had
very many of the notes To pay. The
generous man had recognized, possibly
high law comprehcnded in the words,
Bear "e one anotl er's burdens" This
had made him q brother To any one i'm
trouble, and opened his heart to every
cry of the needy. And now he was TO
be sold out under the red flag of the
Sheriff
Every one knew that old Nathaniel
hnls A.
farm, for he held heavy mortgages
upon them, and there was no one else
in the neighborhood able to buy them.
The household furniture. live stock
and farming utensils were also To be
sold under a chattel mortgage, and the
good man and his wife and their chill.
dren would be left almost penniless.
Lyman had cheerful and hopeful
spirit, but IL was No To be wondered
at that he was much cast down when
the day Of the sale came. He was sad.
dened as much 10y n knowledge OF the
fact that those he had trusted had
been untrue TO him as 10y the loss of
his belongings. His plans for the fu-
ture were vague and Uniformed. lie
was untitled for anything but farming.
and nc did not wish TO engage in any
other occupation. lie would. he said.
begin over again. but he did not
know where or how he was 10 begin.
The day OF the sale dawued clear
and bright. There had rarely been a
fairer jun day. The long piazza In
front OF the no .se was filed with fur
niture and all sorts OF household arti-
cles soon TO be scattered far and wide
The nelghbors and strangers came I'm
great numbers to the sale and tramped
heavily in and out OF the dismantled
rooms, some Of them even peerlng into
closets and drawers. They all agreed
in this-that II was too had." but
most of them added that Lyman Hart
had brought IL on himself"
The sale began at ten o'clock. when
the house and farm were put up" 10y
Ben Jarrold, the big Guctloneer from
the town five miles distant. lie stood
on the porch and read. In q strident
voice. the order OF the court for the
sale OF the property. Then he took of
his coat and hat, pushed up his shirt
sleeves as II preparing for a hand.to-
hand conflict. and called out:
"And now. ladies and gentlemen.
how much am | offered for this fine
property worth six thousand dollars
~ It's worth cent? Fifty acres Of
Il ere under cultivation and one hun.
dred more In pasture and woodland.