Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-08-20
Danny Scruggs'
Revenge
By THOMAS p. MoNTFoRT.
Icopyright, 1905, b. DAILY stOry Pub oo5

| AI HEN old Peter Parsons caught
wv little Danny Scruggs in his wa
termelon patch and took him by his
collar and led him down TO the horse
pond and threw him in, he felt that
he had performed very gratifying
act, and as the boy struggled TO the
shore he laughed. 1t was the seventh
time within week that Peter had
found Danny lingering his melons, and
he was sure that good ducking in the
horsepond would have the desired eff
| feet.
But, alas for Peter, he forgot TO take
into consideration the fact that there
turks in the human breast desire to
be revenged for o real or fancied
wrong,
Two or three days passed, then,
greatly to Peters surprise, Danny
dropped in TO visit with him The boy
was as friendly as ever, and he laughed
about the ducking and declared that
he had found 1t great fun.
Peter was q widower, and lived all
alone, but he had grown tired Of that
sort of existence. Just a mile from
Peters house there lived "old Buck
Hart" who had little farm on which
Peter had a mortgage, and he also had
daughter on whom Peter had an
eye. The daughter was a mere girl,
young enough TO have been Peters
grandchild, but to him there WIS no
disadvantage in that AS to what she
might think, was not TO be taken into
consideration.
One day, two or three months after
Danny's ducking, Peter saddled his
horse and rode over to Harris, II so
happened that Danny was at Harris
when Peter refined up at the yard gate
and called Hart out. Curious to know
Peters business, Danny slipped out
and hid himself in fence corner where
he could overhear all that was said.
After the exchange of a fewcommon-
place remarks, Peter came directly
down to business by saying:
II reckon you know, Buck, my mort
gage on your farm is long past due?"
Yes, know it is" Buck replied, "but
/ lowed it didn't make any difference"
"Well, ordinarily IT wouldn't" Peter
admitted, "but under present circum-
stances, It does. l just rode over to
tell you that want it paid Off"
Old Buck started back aghast.
paid off" he repeated.
That's what said" Peter replied,
coldly.
Old Buck slowly shook his head and
his face heightened.
Its impossible" he said II amt
got no money-not a dollar"
Then you must raise it," Peter an
swered, calmly.
Raise i'll" Buck repeated, blankly.
"Why, couldn't raise enough money
10 buy settin' hen, much less pay OF
that mortgage"
PAY. me in somethin' else, then"
Peter suggested, with a grin.
Il amt got nothin' else"
"Yes, you have"
'Nothin' that you want"
"Yes, you have"
There's the old horse and cow
81 don't want them"
There's the things in the house,
Il don't want them"
That's all 1 got"
81 guess not. You forget you have a |
daughter, don't your"
"A daughter! What's she got to do |
with it2"
"A right smart, maybe. I'll take her
for a wife and call the MORTGAGE
square"
Old Buck was surprised, but not dis /
pleased. 1t was an easy way to get out
of tight place, and then his daughter
might as well marry Peter as anyone
else, so far as he could see.
well, he said, presently, s4f IL suits
you to fix the matter that way. guess
it suits me. / don't see that I've anv
reason for objeeting to your PROPOSE
ton"
"of course not, Peter replied. Its
fair and square all around. and every
body ought to be satisfied"
yes, they ought" Hart said.
thoughtfuny, but don't know. / for
got about Liz. She may not just like
the arrangement, you know"
'Why shouldn't she? Amt I GOT
plenty of money and land, while She
amt got nothin'?"