New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-07-07
The Old WOman's Warning.

In 1870 there lived III central Iowa
a family by the name of Robinson,
consisting OF father, mother, and two
children, the latter being boys. 8 and
u years old respectively. Robinson
was a we.l-to.d do farmer, well thought
of by the neighbors, and q Christian
man. There was, therefore, no one
who questioned the truth OF the in
cident he related He had brother
in Des Moines. who was taken very i'll
and sent for him, and he left home,
expecting to be gone o. least week,
He had no hired man, but the boys
were old enough to care for the stock,
and the wife was not a women to Dor
row trouble.
Robinson was in perfect health when
he left home, and there was no reason
to feel anxious for those he left behind,
He reached Des Moines Of q Saturday
night. His brother was very low, but
it was believed thct the crisis had
passed and that he was mending.
On Sunday night, at midnight,
the watcher who had been at the
bedside during the first part of the
night called Robinson and retired.
The patient was resting easily, and
the watcher had only to give him med.
icine once every hour. He gave it at
l O'Clock, and fifteen minutes later,
while he was seemingly as wide awake
DIS ever in his life, little old woman
suddenly entered the room. The sick
man was in the parlor bedroom, and
the woman came from the sitting
room, the door OF which stood open.
Robinson bowed to her and while
somewhat surprised at her appear
ance, he supposed it was all right,
taking her for q neighbor who had
come in. She looked to be SIS years
old, was very small for a woman, and
years afterwards he could describe her
dress and features. She stopped in
the center OF the room, and Robinson
tip-toed over to her and said:
"The doctor thinks he is much bet.
ter"
"You must go home," she brusquely
remarked in answer.
"Who-me?"
Eyes"
But came to help take care OF
James,"
"You must be home by 10 O'Clock
tomorrow nightw said the old wonl-
an.
"Why?"
She beckoned him further away
from the bed, and then Whispered:
Tomorrow night, before midnight,
three bad men will enter your house
to rob and murder. You must go
home!,"
Glow did you learn this?" he
asked, knowing well enough that she
would not joke him at such a time,
but unable to credit her with all seri-
BUSINESS.
4'rhey have poisoned your dog to.
night" she answered, "and they are
now sleeping in the Darn. There are
! two OF them now; tomorrow night
there will be three. If you love your
wife and children do not tarry here. y
| "But-but--'
"Go-go!' she commanded, backing
out OF the room.
Charles, who is that woman?"
asked the sick man, and Robinson
turned to the bed and found his
| brother wide awake.
! II do not know"
~ saw her in the room just before
you came in. She came and leaned
over me. She must be stranger.
Robinson passed into the sitting
room, and from thence into the kitch-
Ell, but the woman had disappeared.
He called his brothers. wife, but she
| had no such person on her list OF &C.
quaintances. The doors were all
| locked and the windows down, and it
did not seem possible that she could
have left the house, though thorough
search failed to find the least trace OF
her presence. 1t was 2 o'clock when
the search was abandoned, and at that
hour the sick man was amazingly bet
ter. He not only declared that he had
seen the woman and heard all she
said, but he stoutly insisted that his
brother should 60 home as soon as
possible. At 10 o'clock in the fore
noon Robinson left for home. The
nearest railroad point to his farm was
seven miles, and; as he had to wait at
q junction for several hours. he could
not reach his house before 10 O'Clock
II the evening. When he reached the
station at which he must leave the
railroad he told his story to the sher-
iff, and a team was hired and
six well-armed men went out with
him. 1t was 1880 when they reached
the house. They approached it
across the fields, and came up just as
two men had entered by an open lSitch-
ell window, while the third was on
guard outside. The trio were speedily
captured, and then several points cor
roborative OF the little old woman's
declaration were picked up. The fam
lily dog had died suddenly, with every
evidence of having been poisoned.
Two tramps had been noticed hang
ing about fireplace the day before, and
two Of the arrested parties were iden.
titled as the fellows. They had slept
in the barn, and they had been Joined
by third. They intended to rob the
house and steal horse and buggy to
get away with. In hopes OF shortening