Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-03-27
A NARROW ESCAPE.

A NARROW ESCAPE.
"Feyther," said Mrs. StebbinS, hold
ing up thick envelope Here's a
letter for you. faint from Brother
Will, nor from Sile's wife. Who's been
q writin' tew you, d you think?''
Farmer Stebbins took off his warm
coonskin cap, tied the ears together, and
hung it up; then he felt in each pocket
for his horn spectacles.
''They' re in the Bible where you left
them last night, pa" said his daughter.
Then she produced them, and he fitted
them over his nose and held the letter
out good arm length before him.
'J-o-h-n Jacob S-t-e-b-b-i-n-s, g"
read the old farmer, slowly and in loud
voice. That's me for sure. Now the
question is, as you say, who's been an
writ to me-"
''For mercy sake, do open it," said
Mrs. Stebbens. Il shall fly if you set
there and finger it any more 'thout know
in what it means"
"Yes, pa, do read it," urged the
daughter. MAY be its an offer of a
school for me-"
'Like enuff! like enuff'' answered
her father. Let's see what the post
mark is. Why, it's Bosting. Bosting,
ez sure ez I'm living man
''Call me if You happen to need me, :"
said Mrs. Stebbins, with fine sar-
casm. I'm goin' out to set the salt
rlsin' for the bread"
Gimme the stamp, pop" said John
Jacob Stebbins, Jr. They're don't no.
body rit to us only Hetty's beau, and
he don't send emmy thing but postal
keerds.''
BY this time Mr.. Stebbins had slow
ly and labOriously succeeded in getting
the envelope off the letter. A bank
check for $4,000 fell out. 1t was
beautifully printed in green and gold,
and Endorsed on its back with the name
on its face; not a line accompanied it,
Great jerusalem" exclaimed the
farmer, 'here's windfall. Now
who do you 'spose, wife, ever sent me
SIGH a heap of money!"
mad done nothing but stare at the check.
''D'ye 'spose Uncle Silas has come
back from turin parts, and died and left
me the nun OF ms estate.
''He never did such thing BEFORE"
said Ms. Stebbins, iDnocently
1--WE can move into town now," said
Miss Hetty, proudly.
$50 we kim said John Jacob, Jr.,
land I'll have vlossped and bisikel
and wear plaid close and bang my hair,
hooray! Won't we big apples swim
tho'.''
stop your noise" said the perplexed
farmer, looking in the direction of a
birchen st elk that protruded from the
clock-shelf You needn't think you'll
git all you want eos I'm rich. l can
find lots of places for money, an don't
you forget it, young man.
''Feyther," said Mrs. Stebbins,
''there's only one thing Eve allus
wanted to hev in case we ever yet
rich, an now kin have it. 1t seems
too good to be true
Some foi-de-rol, l suppose; out with
it, then; you haven't been half bad
wife, and don't mind letting you hev
one silk gown if it don't come too
dear"
''But it amt silk gown, feyther."
said Mrs. Stebbins. bridling.
''Oh, it's gold neck-chain, is it,
with watch dangling on the end. so
We can see how you waste time. Well.
If did get this money easy, l don't
stand no sort of chance of foolin' it
away. l know it's real vally too well.'
81 guess what's yours is mine.' said
Mrs. Stebbins, shortly
''An' what's mine Is my own; I'm 60
ing to build on new wing to the house
with this, and buy i'm some fine stock,
and the meadow lot, SO Hetty can live
with us when she gets married to jim
Vance,"
''Indeed! Jim Vance! l guess I'll 90
to the city and get acquainted with
folks, now we've got money" said Miss
Hetty. Jim is only common farmer
boy; not but what he is good fellow,
but mebbe can do better now''
} John Jacobs, Jr.. gave long whistle
II wouldn't civ up Jim TIL 1 see the
other fellow, Het," he said. provok-
ingly.
''1t's time the break-risin' was SET"
suggested Hettie to her mother.
''You can set it then" retorted Mrs.
Stebbins, Grossly; 1--WE worked and
shaved for your feyther n;gh on to thirty
years, and he never refused me before.
But money has made him hard-heart-
ed"
mercy on us. woman, what is it YOU
want?" he growled.
'.A-a-camers hair shawl all--all-
border" sobbed his wife,
'Great Jerusalem, woman. there
isn't camel nearer'n n thousand miles
of us. How kin II git hair to make yer
shawl?"
'.He never called me woman be-
FORE" sobbed his wife. Ito think I
should ever be called "a woman by my
own husband, too. Oh, John Jacob
Stcbbins, what shame to let money
harden your very soul in this here
way"
ats enough TO drive a man dee
stracted, crazy" said the farmer,
stamping around the room; ''you, John,
60 and feed the caows. l clean forgot
Them
Il amt agoin' to feed no caows, en-
nymore; you kin hire another man."
% d the youth, spreading himself. :.
Mr. Stebbins rose aud took down the
means of grace from heh' nd the clock,
but with hooking laugh the youth fled
out of reach.
What's the matter with you, Het-
typ asked the unhappy man, as he
saw large tears rolling down his daugh-
tor face.
ssOh, pa. It's 90 hard to bear. just
= think that l. boo -boo-may have