The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1920-01-22
THE SETTLE
BY MILDRED WHITE.
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desolate windows. She had known the
time when these windows were trim
with white curtains, the shining glass
rejecting freight within. As work
men carae past, removing old mahog.
any furniture, whim seized her to go
In through the open door and inspect
the struggling rooms, with their unex-
pected corners.
Soggy fall leaves, which had lately
been luxurlant and green, carpeted the
veranda floor; Cynthia thought, as she
stepped inside, that the leaves were an
emblem of that life which had, until
the last, made the rambling dwelling a
place OF comfort. The springtlme Of
the womaus life had been green and
generous with promise; now, even as
the leaves, 1t lay broken and wasted.
The stairs echoed to her tread as
she went ON to the long hall above,
From this hall rooms branched out
perplexlngly and she hesItated select
ing her way. Here, white marble
mantel beckOned from its inviting nook
near the green latticed bow-windoie !;
there, an outer balcony promised n
view of the tangled garden beneath,
But Cynthia went down three steps,
to a second hallway, on TO twisting
turn, resting at length on wooden
settle at the end. The place was de-
l!ghtfully surprising, She thought how
easily one might keep house for ones
self in one or two of the great spread
Ing rooms. Cynthia loved to keep
house. Now, she was boarding.
Presently, as she sat, she began to
dream Of the old house, peopled with
forms Of her fancy. Some way, always
In the center of these happy dream
people she herself moved, dispensing
hospitality. The fire beneath the mar
BILE mantel of the living room glowed
cheerily Late Crysanthemums were
heaped upon it. Then, with tremu
lous laugh into the shadows Of the hall,
Cynthia came back from her dreaming
to q realization of her own small room
at the city boarding house.
Following the sound Of her broken
laughter came quickly another step.
Some one else had paused. perplexed
at that last twisting way, undecided
how to continue. The unexpected sight
of her apparently decided the man, for
he advanced, hat an hand. toward the
settle.
pardon the intrusion" he began. 81
thought the house vacant"
$50 1t is," Cynthia told him, II
stmyed in, following an impulse"
Interesting old place." the man said
pleasantly; don't let me interrupt
your inspection"
~ am not exactly inspecting" she
snid.
Looking into his kind, shrewd eyes,
Cynthia was moved by a second I'M
pulse--a need Of fellow sympathy, per
haps, for the hardness Of the world.
She herself could hardly have explain
ed the impulse.
81 came," she added abruptly, ito
think things over. To put myself, as
1t were, in place Of the woman who
has been dlspossessed of the home Of
her lifetime. TO wonder just what ]
should do in her place"
"DlspossesSedW asked the man. I'm
invited, he seated himself on the set
tie.
Cynthia nodded.
"She carried the mortgage as long as
she could, and then II was foreclosed.
There had been an invalid father for
years, you see, her youth was--tled.
But she made little money go very
long way; she was planning to make
the old house pay for itself, when"
Cynthia's tender face hardened-"a
brute of n man foreclosed the mort
gage. He'd been waiting his chance
for years, wanted to build big apart
ment on the land. So the poor woman
had to get out. p'-she brushed the
tears from her eyes-''it's tragedy to
me," Cynthia explained. You see,
knew her we'll"
The man drew a notebook from his
pocket and held 1t up to the light.
Ruth Vail was the former owner OF
the property, I believe" he said.
you knew this man who fore
closedT
II saw him." Cynthia replied, "just
once. A red.faced bully who made nc
allowance fer woman's helplessness. in
his dismissal" Her Indignation ended
in a sudden smile.
II hoped" said Cynthia, that
might meet that man here today tt
give him an illuminating glimpse oi
his own character. Gain and greed
have killed all humanity in him."
The stranger rose from the settle
and stood looking down upon her.
"You may be right" he said
thoughtfully. Sometimes that is so
but this red-faced bully Of whom yol
speak wHs but the owners agent full
filling what he thought to be his duty
The desplcable creature to whom yo'
refer ls--myself. / held that mortgage
that was rot informed Of this particu
lar instance of foreclosure does not ex
cuse me. Ny man is ordered to TAX
atyyovs yrhat In mine. Now that yOl