The savings-bank down in the village took it, and
we've been paying the interest ever since. My husband died paying it, and
my son will pay it all my life, and then I suppose the bank will
foreclose. The treasurer was an old playmate of my husband's, and he said
that as long as either of us lived the mortgage could lie."
"How splendid of him!" said Mrs. Makely. "I should think you had been very
fortunate."
"I said that you would not see it as we do," said the invalid, patiently.
The Altrurian asked: "Are there mortgages on many of the farms in the
neighborhood?"
"Nearly all," said Mrs. Camp. "We seem to own them, but in fact they own
us."
Mrs. Makely hastened to say: "My husband thinks it's the best way to have
your property. If you mortgage it close up, you have all your capital
free, and you can keep turning it over. That's what you ought to do, Mrs.
Camp. But what was the slavery that Captain Camp said was not abolished
yet?"
The invalid looked at her a moment without replying, and just then the
door of the kitchen opened, and Young Camp came in and began to gather
some food from the table on a plate.
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