Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1919-05-02


on its hearthl 1t 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 1t
| pass their house, hurried over for a
look at 1t. Every hand was on the
stove as we tenderly carried 1t into
the house. piece by piece. and set it
up. Then they cut a 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 reared and began to heat
| the roomi
When the Axtells had gone away
Aunt Deel said: ~
ITS grandi It is sartin-but I'm
'fraid we can't afford it--ayes i be I"
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 costT she asked.
mot much differ'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 1t
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 at ten dollars an
acre. He had to pay fee of five
per cent. to Grimshaw's lawyer for
the survey .and the papers This left
him owing fourteen hundred dollars
on his farm-much more than 1t was
| worth. M
| Our cousin twisted the poker in
his great hands until 1t squeaked as
he stood before my uncle and said:
my wife and have chopped and
burnt and pried and hauled rocks an
shoveled dung an MIXED an churned
until we are worn out. For almost
twenty years we've been workin' days
an nights an Sundays. My mortgage
| was overdue, owed six hundred dol
lars on it. 1 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. the country. He
gave me six months to pay up. 1 had
to pay or lose the land. got the
money on the note that you signed
over In Potsdam. Nobody in Can
ton would "a dared to lend it to
me-"
| ''Why? my uncle asked.
"'Fraid o. Grimshaw. He didn't
want me to be able to pay it. The
place is worth more than six hundred
dollars now--that's the reason. ! in
tended to cut some timber an haul
it to the village this winter so could
pay part O. the note an git more
time as / told We. but the roads have
been so bad 1 couldn't do any haul
in"
My uncle went and took drink at
the water pail. / saw by his face
that he was unusually wrought up.
my heavens an earthl" he ex
claimed as he sat down again.
Its the brain colic," said to
myself as looked at him. q
Mr.. Barnes seemed to have 1t also
+ 'Too much note" whispered.
; "Pm awful sorry. but I've done
everything I could" said Mr.. Barnes
"Ain't there somebody that'u take
another mortgnge?--it ought to be
safe now" my uncle suggested.
money is so tight it can't be done
The bank has got all the money an
; Grimshaw owns the bank. I've tried
: and tried. but I'll make You safe. III
give you mortgage until can turn
: round"
So saw how Rodney Barnes. ltkt
t other settlers in Lickitysplit, had gone
= into bondage to the landlord.
GLOW much do you owe on thiI
{ placer Barnes asked.
3 "Seven hundred an fifty dollars.
said my uncle. 'ssse
us It tiue7's X S.. &
: ITS been due . year an II / hav'
{ to pay that note III be abort my IN
/ tereat"