Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1902-08-28
4 NEGLECTED PARCEL
( i2

lived ii Ia ,.>.@st part Of the city
Ny ancestors mad been great people,
and my home had once been the small
est OF their residences. Now 1t stood
between Il junkshop and grocery
store. If it could be sold at all, ii
would not bring over $500. My income
did hot enable me to live anywhere
else, AID if | had not owned the place
don't see how l could have lived any
where | was at times in hopes that q
society of ladies would purchase 1t tC
be kept in remembrance of the fact
that during the American Revolution
some b. genera. had had his head
quarters there but it didn't.
Well. we grew poorer from day tc
day. My brave little wife kept on
making the most of nothing and cheer
ing me besides. How she managed tc
make the children look respectable ]
idea of Borrowing q little money on my
house, turning it into Il shop and going
to live somewhere else. | secured q
mort gage of 5000 and commenced the
alterations
One day while some workmen were
tearing down partition they took out
something rolled UP in Il piece of yel
low papcr | was not there at the
time, and the parcel was thrown into
q corner When the place was cleaned
up it was put in tie cellar, the house.
was locked. and q sign "To Let WAS
tackled to the Goorpost
Before giving the first tenant pos.
session l went over the house to sec
If anything Aad been left there. i
found nothing worth taking away, but,
going to the cellar, noticed on dus!
heap the roli in the yellow paper
tore eff a piece cf the paper and cX
posed canvas | threw the thing back
on the Gust heap but on second
thought picked it up and carried it to
my little flax uptown. Being in haste
at the ti!ae, tossed it into closet
and forgot al about it.
My tenant occupied the building six
months without paying q cent of rent,
then went cut ia the middle of the
night with all his belongings. The
shop remained vacant after that for
six months. Then | got new tenant,
who paid one months rent in Il year
At the end of this time the mortG"@ce
not having received any interest, pro
ceedings for the foreclosure of the
mortgage were begun.
W1S St1rtnp ont one morning IN
the depths Of despair when my wife
called to ne: "Ienry. what's this old
parcel? 1t has been standing III the
closet, taking up room, for more thar
year." cast an unintercsted glance
at 1t and, not remembering ever tc
have seen it, told her that l didn't
know what it was. She unrolled it and
produced an Oil portrait of woman
With an immense hat on her head.
lace handkerchief about her neck and
a dress with panniers over the hips.
"By Jove" I exclaimed. How did
that thing come into this house:'
..lf you don't know. l DON'T replied
my wife. Il wonder if it is worth
anything"
II don't think it is. At any rate. II
doesn't lock very valuable. III take II
out With me and find out
NV wife rolled up the canvas, and,
putting it under my arm. l left the
house. Stcppi;g at a printshop. OF.
fereu it for sale and received an offer
of 50 fer *: went on, receiving of
fers al the way freM that figure to
S.. till came to Il place Where they
dealt in Il Letter class OF pictures. The
dealer looked at it and told me that If
{ would leave it with him he would ex
anime it chen he l:::u leisure. could
sop when | Went home He took Ey
.,anle ;:.d "t.t:reNS Gnl left him.
That cve!....4 IS i entered my home
.oy wife asked I..> VT. | had Gone
with the picture ana. havin= forgotten
il, | told llcr had discovered that /,
was not worth over 50. She asked for
the s.. w..vrp1.;on pat her OF by tell.
Ing her that ! WAS to have - the next
day. The next day forgot the matter
again ana excused EySef 10y saying
that the Irvcr bed hac'."H cut Thus