Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1911-11-16

AtHTr4li lbuI lot a lUOIlu she udh
k4kt<ES counted those turkeys, es.
EWy% timatcd what they would
cz-sS-D bring In the market. and
vainly cndcavored 70 make that sum
equal the amount she needed TO pay
the interest on the mortgage held Oh
her little place by Elijah Green.
Elijah was the local money lender
and note shaver. When Elijah had
concluded the prelimlnaries OF q loan
with you. you began TO realize why he
was rich lie could bind you TO more
different impossible agreements than
any one else. Elijah owned farm after
farm-all the result Of his shrewdness
In the money-lending line. As 10 shay
ing notes, he was credited with cut
ting out everything but the date and
adding that TO his discount
When he induced Miss Sabina Pen
nell 10 borrow FIVE hundred dollars
from him and to give him a mortgage
upon her little place, he had really
acted more decently than ever before
He did not want Sabina's place. What
he wanted was Sabina herself lie
had proposed to her-proposed in
about the tone and with about as
much sentiment as he usually mani
tested when he offered to lend one
third the value of farm for a mort.
gage on the whole thing. Sabina had
refused him. promptly.
She had refused him several more
times. and then Elijah apparently re-
signed himself to his fate. But he
knew Sabinas circumstances; he
knew that when her father died and
left her entirely alone in the world
she would get into debt. SO he kept
track Of her debts, which was not
hard thing to do, when every dealer
in the town was a debtor of his.
At the psychological moment he Of
fered to lend her five hundred dollars.
secured by the mortgage He pointed
cat TO her that he didn't need the
money and wanted to invest It, and
that so long as she paid the interest
on it she need never bother about
repaying IT,
IT'S just putting that much money
out at interest, for me-" he smiled.
And It will relieve you OF worry over
what you may owe. so you can man
age your place and make It pay you"
When Sabina signed the mortgage
notes and received Elijah's check she
had her first almost-tender feeling
toward him. And when she went to
him and asked him to give her lit
tie more time on the interest, she had
been really affected by his generous
agreement.
Don't let It worry you a minute,
Sabina," he said Pay 1t when you
can. | don't consider it a real bust
ness matter-between me and you,
you know"
But now Sabina owed him ninety
dollars, just for interest alone.
Now, Sabina was not the conven-
Jional maiden lady in reduced circum-
stances. She was not a haggard, thin,
woebegone woman OF uncertain years,
ekiug out an existence. She was Just
twenty-five years old, neat and pretty,
and it took all she made teaching
school to keep her. She had rolled
on her turkeys TO pay the interest at
least How In the world she should
ever pay the principal OF the mort.
gage had not occurred to her.
But Elijah, with ninety dollars in
terest coming TO him, was not the
Elijah who had so generously loaned
her the money. Elijah was telling her
that times were hard and money was
close, and although he hated to do it,
he simply had 70 have money to meet
his own obligations. So, since the
mortgage was overdue, and the in
terest was unpaid-why-
IN do the best l can TO raise the
money, Elijah" sabina said. I've got
forty-nine turkeys, and when | sell
them"
But forty-nine turkeys won't bring
you over sixty dollars" Elijah said
You'll get about ten cents a pound
for them, and mighty few OF them
weigh more than twelve pounds"
Sabina looked out into the orchard.
where her turkeys were strolling
about Elijah leaned toward her:
Haven't you changed your mind,
Sabina?" be asked
Changed my mind About what"
About marrying me-"
Ssbina turned 10 hin. with her eyes
tiashing.
Well, Elijah Green! So that was
why you made me let you lend me
that money and that was why you
were SO nice about the interest, and
that was"
No no, no. Elijah cried, squlrm-
ing. Il never thought OF that lent
you the money because loved you"
And now you want your money
back because you love IT, she said.
coldly.
Elijah arose, with an air OF grossly
injured innocence.
After such an insult as that" he
said. you cannot expect me 10 con-
slider the mortgage a personal matter,
or one between friends. | shall have
TO place It with my attorney unless
you make a satisfactory settlement
by-by Thanksgiving day" This with
a malicious glance toward the tur-
keys, which were pursuing the even
enor Of their ways, little thinking OF
hA part they were PLAYING.