Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1901-12-20
n II oRTGAGEs of several grades,

round good fellow" widoN
and three marriageab daugl
- tcrs comprised Mr. MATTHEW
MaXwcll's assets at the tim
he concluded to shift a burden Of hope
less debt upon SO called weaker shoulder
than his own by dying.
Mrs. Maxwell, who had been addicte,
TO the wifely weakness of unquestion
Ing Endorsement, greyed for her lost mat
ms one refusing to be comforted until tn,
holder of the first mortgage called upoI
her. After that visit grief for the deat
was swallowed up in keen anxiety fol
the quick.
The holder of the first mortgage was
the direct opposite of his defunct debtor
in every respect-that is to say, he was
harsh of manner, grasping of soul and
memorable in demanding all that he could
claim. Having risen from a low social
strata to that of a landed proprietor, his
personal shortcomings became conspicu-
Gus Optimists prophesied that the sec
ond generation of him was predestined to
gentlemanlineSs and local acceptance.
The newly made widow trembled in her
freshly donned weeds when, with a gra-
tuitous display of very yellow teeth
meant for an ingratiating smile-the
holder of the first mortgage informed her
that he had just stepped over to have a
little talk on business matters.
I've got no disposition to be hard on
the widow or the orphan" he said by
way of peroraton to an exceedingly
prolix statement of business facts, but
naturally I'm looking ford to n settle
ment of some sort. Maxwell, poor fell
low, has been dead now more'n two
months.
"This land and mine is all of a piece,
and both plantations ought to be in one
name-the name of Thorneycraft"-
own. But I've figured out a first class
solution to all our difficulties with an
other gratuitous display of yellow teeth.
1.-THE sexes amt evenly divided between
this house and mine. You've got all the
petticoats, while I've got one lone boy-as
good boy as man could ask for, but Tai
and me feels the need of an apron string
to tie to-"
Mrs. Maxwell filed up his significant
pause with a vague "Of course" and sub
sided. Mr.. Thorneycraf resumed gra-
ciously:
Everybody about here knows what
the Maxwell girls are Good looking,
healthy, capable. No frills to 'em. My
Talcott amt quite so well known here
abouts because he's been off to college
now going on five years, but | know
him, and he's boy any girl might be
proud to call husband
The widow started violently. Could
five years. or even fifty times five years,
make of this rough old mans son fit
ting mate for either one of her sweet,
fastidious girls? A wave of reminis-
cent disgust swept over her. Talcott
Thorneycraft, whom Mr. Maxwell out
of pure pity had let share the advan-
tages of his daughters private teacher,
had left behind him only a ncbulous
picture of gaucherie and shyness. He
was the sort of boy whose hands were
always clammy and whose trousers al
ways suggested either phenomenal
growth in their wearer or a malicious
tendency to perpetual shrinkage on their .
own. The terrible old man pursued his
ruthlessly:
Nov, then, to come to the point. | .
amt much of hand to beat about the .
BUSH A good wife for my boy means
more to me than little more money in .
bank. / cant live forever, and before .
step down and out forever l want to see .
my Talcott comfortably settled for life
When him and your girls went to school
together, he was sorter sweet on your
Cath although she did treat him like he
worn't of no more Importance than the
dirt under her feet. Puppy love, OF
course, and not worth mention. l ruther
incline, myself, toward your little Rhoda.
She's got the makings of first class
planters wife in her. You see, I've had
this notion about joining lands and hands
IN my head a long while, and I've been
keeping my eyes skinned when ride
by, and notice it's always Rhoda that's
pottering about the milkroom or the
poultry yard or the garden, but ! shant
camper Tai in making choice. Any one
Of the three will find good home and
warm welcome waiting for 'em over at
ny house. So, now, then, I've showed
you easy way to satisfy that mortgage,
and III leave you to study on it.
"This is the 18th day of November. On
he LIST day of January come one year
from this New Year day next my Tai
will be through with his books. He's =