The old
gentleman approved of her plan, only suggesting that it should be a
swap; that is, that Ezekiel should deed the house in which they were, in
which, in fact, she owned a half-interest, to her, so she would be sure
of a home in case she lost part of her money, or all of it, or wished to
live in the country.
Most opportunely, Ezekiel and Huldy came over that morning to make a
call, and the matter was soon under discussion in family conclave.
Ezekiel at first objected strenuously to the gift. He would buy the
house, he said, and pay so much a year on it, but both Alice and Uncle
Ike protested that it was foolish for a young couple to start in life
with such a heavy debt hanging over them.
The only circumstance that led him to change his mind and agree to
accept the Putnam homestead as a gift was Uncle Ike's suggestion that he
deed the Pettengill homestead to Alice, and pay her all he received for
the sale of products from the present Pettengill farm; but 'Zekiel would
not accept any loan. He said Deacon Mason had given his daughter five
thousand dollars outright, and that would be all the cash they would
need to stock and carry on both the farms.
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