FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE.
By A. Smith
Mr. Justin was a wealthy man, mostly in real estate. Among the many people to whom he sold his land was one Vere Slack, who made a small payment, and gave a mortgage for the balance of the purchase price. He, confident of meeting his payments, built a comfortable house and barn, and otherwise improved the farm. After a time, falling into intemperance and consequent shiftless ways, he failed to make his payments, and, instead, increased his indebtedness by occasional loans of money, which Mr. Justin granted out of pity to the family, until he thought he could bear it no longer. About this time Mr. Slack died. Mrs. Slack, who was a devoted Christian woman, had about all she could do to support her family of four young children. Soon after this, Mr. Justin entered a suit of foreclosure on the Slack homestead. The act excited universal comment and condemnation. Mr. Justin was branded as "an old skinflint;" and denounced as a robber of the widow and the fatherless. They thought that he might at least pay her something for the little value she had in the place, or give her a house and lot out of his great abundance of such property. Mrs. Slack continued to steadfastly trust in the promises of God to the widow and fatherless, tho the continual clamor of her neighbors almost made her feel hard toward Mr. Justin, notwithstanding he had always been kind and generous toward her, except in the matter of the mortgage. The day of sale finally came, and the land was sold for less than the face of the mortgage; Mr. Justin securing the title. The news caused the widow's heart to sink within her; but with tears she sought the Lord, and in a true Christian spirit she prayed that Mr. Justin might be forgiven a wrong he could not really have intended; never having personally experienced the distress of the poor and homeless. Soon after the sale Mr. Justin was seen going toward the widow's home. Fingers of scorn were pointed at him by some, and others, passing, would not notice or speak to him. Arriving at the widow's, he knocked at the door, in response to which it was opened by Mrs. Slack. On seeing Mr. Justin her heart stood still, and she had to clutch at a chair to keep from falling. She could only motion him to a seat. Her children clung to her, seeing her evident distress. She could not weep. He drew from his pocket a paper—some legal notice, of course, she thought—and handed it to her. It was a warranty deed to her in her own name, of the forty acres on which stood all the farm buildings, with not a dollar's incumbrance. Her tears came now, and she cried like a child. She knelt down, and encircled her children in her arms; with choking utterance she poured forth a fervent petition to God to be forgiven for allowing herself for a moment to distrust Him, and for feeling unkindly toward her benefactor. She prayed that her neighbors might be forgiven for so cruelly misjudging Mr. Justin. In the meantime Mr. Justin slipped away, thinking: "I intended, like Job, to make the widow's heart sing for joy; but she cried instead for joy. She will do her singing by and by." The story was soon noised abroad, and resulted in a complete reversion of feeling. As for Mr. Justin, he had all along intended to befriend the widow, and at the same time teach public gossipers to forbear criticisms and harsh judgment based upon appearances only. Besides it gave him a good opportunity to study the characteristics of many persons. It is safest to judge nothing from mere appearances. A. SMITH.
Grandville, Mich.