The Worthington advance., 1900-12-28
Lifting the Mortgage
"NfY DEAR JOHN" said a sweet
BY Mrs. Charles c. Marble.
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Ul faced woman, gazing fondly in
to the eyes of her pale, careworn hus-
band, lit seems too good to be true.
I'm afraid I'll awake in the morning
and find it all DREAM
"a blissful dream, Agnes" he re-
piled; mo more nightmares for you
and grandma, thank God!"
Poor grandma laughed aloud to-
day, the first time for many months;
didn't you, mother?" she said, turning
to feeble old lady who held in her lap
sleeping infant.
eyes," assented the old lady, with a
smile, land looked outen the front
winder, too, John; did. It's been a
long time sence done so afore, for
the mortgage these past years seemed
like a terrible monster lurkin' round
the front door, and I was afeard all
the time it would open it's powerful
jaws some day and swaller us all up, as
your poor father said it would. You're
q good son, John, good son; and your
old mother'n die in peace now under
the dear old roof. If only your father
had lived to see this day!" she added,
with sigh.
'Dear, simple-hearted mother" cried
her son, kissing her toil-worn hands,
''the monster debt has indeed made us
all tremble for years. Heaven grant,"
he added, solemnly, in a husky voice,
"that no other shadow may come to
darken your declining years. Heaven
grant it,"
''There can't come no more shad-
ows, son. replied the old lady, firmly,
raising her fading eyes to his. There's
no more fear of bein' turned out of
my old home, where you were born, and
where you brought your young wife,
and from where my little ones were car
ried out in their coffins years agone.
No. no. she added, in sinking voice.
Il shall close my eyes in the same bed
and in the same room as did your ia
ther, and be carried outen the same
door when You take me to sleep beside
him in the old churchyard. No more
shadows for me, John, till enter that
valley of shadows which'll bring me
out to the light beyond"
II pray it may be so," John answered,
with a strained, panied look in his eyes.
II pray it may be so.''
''How you must have worked, and
saved, and suffered, John, to Law up 50
much money!. Now I know why you
sat up so long after we all went to
bed," said his wife, tenderly. "You
worked in secret to surprise us. Dear
john"
'"Yes," assented her husband, ''in Sc
cret." But no answering smile sat
upon his lip, no happy light beamed in
his eye.
Days and weeks rolled on-days and
weeks of torture to John Austin.
The nightmare of anxiety had been
driven from the pillow of his loved ones,
but above his it hovered, darker, more
forbidding than ever. With sleepless.
wide-open, staring eyes, he watched
the terrible shape as it jeered and
laughed and pointed with one skeleton
finger to an object which ever danqled
before the troubled mans gaze.
He closed his eyes to shut out the
picture, only to hear with startling dis
tinctness the cold, merciless voice of his
creditor.
~ desire the property, John Austin"
says the voice, land intend to foreclose.
No more extensions of time. am de-
termined, so make up'your mind to pay
the whole amount or 'vacate the prop
erty.".s:. 80. :-''..~' " ,.~-''HH~.
"Give me one year longer" pleads
the pale, careworn John; zone year for
my poor ole. mothers sake. She may
stand in need of no earthly home after
that, w. he adds, brokenly; "and, be-
sides, You are 50 rich, Mr., Brown, and
have go many houses: Haye pity, I pray
"Pity!" sneers the rich man, "pity!
l sheuld go to the a1mshouse If I lis
tened to such pleas. No. sir; my money
or the house. Where there's q will
there's e way, you know" he added,
with o. chill smile, as he moved away;
70, Mr.. Austin, look out for the way"
There IL . way" said q still, small
voice, as John sat At his desk the next
morning; "there il . way :.s. !. {.