Waterbury Democrat., 1902-12-31
The Mortgaged
 Bride
BycLAUDIA MAY PERRIN


 HIRAM PATTON had used his
 credit for so many deals of diff ferent kinds that he had reached the point where none would trust him for penny. For an unmarried man of the maturer twenties he was ex- ceedingly unfprtunate, for oft-times his trade so languished that he could barely eke out the most meager live lihood. His Blacksmith shop was his only hope, and of that the contents alone were his. The last-named fact might have afforded him a grain of comfort had the rented building been a substanti one, or his set of tools and appliances of the patent list of the last few decades; but it seemed that Time had sent him all the worn out, discarded things to be found, with a shelter which age had long since marked as unworthy of the name.
 Hiram was progressive in his way; but he was too slow-or, rather, too fast--for the age in which he lived. Had he saved his money he could long since have been independent, for his business was largely cash and his list of patrons of goodly length. In view of these facts it was strange that no surplus funds beyond the necessary change ever jingled in his purse, yet it was these, very facts that handicapped him at every turn. And when a neighboring smith decided to sell out his business-building, con tents and all-the chance of life time seemed to have come to Hiram's very shop door. .
 MT. Patton exerted himself most heroicaliy to renew his long since threadbare credit in order to pur- chase the shop. The shrewd Mr. Coler knew him too we'll to make the trade on other than ironclad black and-white terms, which harassed the covetous Hiram most grievously. As last resort the young man deter mined to lombard the bank account of a crusty old bachelor of the vii cinity, one Bartimeus Graves, whose reputation for close deals and miser- ly favors was unrivaled. A
 But Hiram WAS desperate. And, resolving to secure the money on whatever terms might seem neces- sary, he approached the ill-temp pered Bart with the blandest smile he could command. Bart, on the other hand, was nistrustful of Hiram Pat ton and his creditless reputation; but an opportunity to loan money at good interest was to him something not to be despised. Hiram's straight forward manner of introducing the subject impressed him favora bly, while the youths confidence in the success of the venture heightened his own ambition pro rata.
 His terms were rigid, yet to Hiram his rasping tone seemed but the voice of a guardian angel. Yes; he would loan the money, provided Pat ton would give a first-class mortgage on the lot, building, contents and trade. meaning by the last item that everything purchased or in any way secured with the money earned in the shop-whether it be live stock, fur4 nishings or horseshoe nails-should belong to ''the said Bartime1is Graves" by virtue of the mortgage.
 The papers were signed up and the
 
 ere the neighbors knew that the trade had been made. They f1ocked thith- e- to congratulate him on his good fortune, every one volunteering to help him transfer the best of his be- longings from the old place of business to the new.
 Early and late did the youth ham, mer away, his now doubled custom making such labor necessary. The first payment was met without acci- dent; also the second. This so elated him that he relaxed his purse strings just a little, and the third one was met with barely enough of surplus to pay his board and lodging for the next few days. But his sudden fit of economy had so wrought upon his landlady that she bade him rest easy so far as his obligations to her were concerned, which streak of good for tune was followed by an offer of the long withheld credit by the hard. ware merchants of the adjacent vii. lage. ..~. -a~-
 The 1ast-named opportunity was too tempting for the astute Hiram Patton to resist. Accordingly, he stocked up his shop with up-to-date appliances, Bart Graves looking on with no small degree of interest.
 It was at about that time that new arrival in the neighborhood was re-. ported, certain Miss Sarah Ann Mills, who had come to make her home with a venerable uncle. The event caused no little stir among the unmarried male element, and jokes were passed back and forth with a great deal of freedom. Hiram vowed himself proof againlt the wiles of every daughter of Eve.
 Again he courted a tempt tion which proved beyond his power of resist ance. He met the young lady, who was but few years his junior, and for the first time in his life felt a tugging at his heartstrings. There was no denying the fact-the worst had come. He was in love! And for him to set his heart on anything was 4. sL .j L1.s-