The story
“John Green’s fortune little by little ebbed away until at last he was forced to mortgage his home. Times did not get better for him, and finally he was told by the holder of the mortgage that unless he paid the principal at once, he would lose his home. The town’s banker would not advance him money, nor would any of his friends. Despair had already seized him when he stepped into the little country store owned by William Warren, a crusty old bachelor, who was the last person in the world he would have asked to help him. But the old storekeeper actually volunteered to loan the amount needed, but he exacted one condition, which was that unless the note was paid at a certain time John Green’s daughter would have to marry him. The pretty young girl did not view this condition with favor, but she and her father both felt confident that they could meet the note at maturity, so this curious condition was embodied in the note and the girl signed it. The day the note was due, John Green went to the bank and drew out the amount necessary to pay the storekeeper. But on the way home he lost his pocketbook and the old storekeeper found it. The finder knew to whom the pocketbook belonged, but decided not to return it until after the note was due, for he wanted the girl to marry him and he knew it was the only way to win her. But he reckoned without Mary’s goat. The intelligent animal delivered Mary from her trying position and sent the wicked old storekeeper from the little home.”
Summary from The Moving Picture World · 26 October 1912
