The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-03-20

on Its HEARTH It rivaled. in its nov
city and charm, any tin peddler's cart
that ever came to our door. John
Axtell and his wife, who had seen It
pass their house, hurried over for
look at 1t. Every hand was on the
stove as we tenderly carried 1t into
the house, piece by piece, and set 1t
up. Then they cut hole in the up
per floor and the stone chimney and
fitted the pipe. How keenly we
watched the building of the fire. How
quickly 1t roared and began to heat
the rooml
When the Axtells had gone away
Aunt Deel said:
'It's grand! It Is sartin-but I'm
'fraid we can't afford it-ayes I be |"
1--WE can't afford to freeze any
longer. made up my mind that we
couldn't 60 through another winter
as we have" was my uncle's answer.
'How much did It costf' she asked.
"Not much dlffer'nt from thirty
four dollars in sheep and grain," he
answered.
Rodney Barnes stayed to supper
and spent part Of the evening with
US.
Like other settlers there. Mr..
Barnes was cheerful optimist. Every
thing looked good to him until It
turned out badly.
He told how he had heard that It
was a growing country near the great
water highway Of the st. Lawrence.
Prosperous towns were building up
In 1t. There were going to be great
cities in Northern New York.. There
were rich stores of lead and iron
In the rocks. Mr.. Barnes had bought
two hundred acres ut ten dollars an
acre. He had to pay a fee of five
per cent. to Grimshaw's lawyer for
the survey .and the papers. This left
him owing fourteen hundred dollars
on hls farm-much more than It was
worth.
Our cousin twisted the poker in
his great hands until 1t squeaked as
he stood before my uncle and said:
my wife and I have chopped and
burnt and pried and hauled rocks an
shoveled dung an milked an churned
until we are worn out. For almost
twenty years we've been w0rkin' days
nm nights an Sundays. My mortgage
was overdue. owed six hundred dol.
lars on 1t. I thought 1t all over one
day an went up to Grimshaw's an
took him by the back Of the neck
and shook him. He said he would
drive me out o. tho country. He
gave me six months to pay up. I had
| to pay or lose the land. I got the
money on the note that you signed
over In Potsdam. Nobody In Can
ton would "a dared to lend 1t Il
me-"
'why7" my uncle asked.
AFRAID o. Grimshaw. He didn'
want me to be able to pay It. TIT
place is worth more than six hundred
dollars now-that's the reason. In
tended to cut some timber an hau
II to the village this winter 90 c0ult
|.pay a part o. the note an git mor'
time as I told ye. but the roads hav'
been so bad couldn't do any haul
In"
My uncle went and took drink a
the water pail. I saw by his fac
thit he was unusually wrought up.
my heavens an earthr he ez
claimed as he sat down again.
"It's the brain collie" I said b
myself as looked at him.
| Mr.. Barnes seemed to have It also
I "Toc much note," I whispered.
'Tm awful sorry. but I've dom
everything l could" said Mr.. Barnes
"Ain't there somebody that'll TAX
another mortgagef-it ought to b.
safe now" my uncle suggested.
money Is SO tight 1t can't be done
The bank has got all the money an
Grlmshaw owns the bank. I've trie
and tried. but I'll make you safe. II
give you mortgage until / can tur
round"
So saw how Rodney Barnes, lik
other settlers in Llckitysplit, had gon
into bondage to the landlord.
"Ho~ much do You owe on thl
placer Barnes asked.
"Seven hundred an nifty dollars,
said my uncle.
'Is It dueT
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