Wichita eagle., 1889-03-05
MRS. M'DONALD'S PLAN.
How the Women Drove Aw ay an
Obnoxious Sheriff.


set is a wicked shame !" said little Mrs.
Macdonald, turning her flax-wheel with
q fierce energy. "Of course Mr.. Libby
can't pay his debts after being i'll all win
ter, and now just as he is getting better
and planting is coming on, he must go to
Jail. l should like to know how Peggy
and the children are to get any thing to
eat while he is gone! If were a man he
shouldn't go. But there! Men-folks
haven't half so much spunk as women!"
81 am sure, Marie" returned gentle
Mrs. Noble, looking mildly into her pref
ty neighbours flushed face. 'FWe are all
sorry for him, but our husbands have as
much as they can do to pay their own
debts"
"Oh, we can't any of US afford to pay
the money!" replied Marie. "But Sheriff
Watson is such an old coward that he
might be frightened away"
at won't do to go against the law"
said Mrs. Noble, shaking her head SOL
emily.
''The laww cried Marie, nearly upset
ting the wheel in her wrath. That's the
way with you Americans, Abigail! You'd
see man roasted alive rather than OPP
pose the law, but the French people are
different, I'd have you know"
Marie Macdonald was a lively, warm
hearted woman, impatient of wrong and
eager to help all who needed her SYM
patty. Her ancestors were French, and
from them she had inherited her great
vivacity and quick temper. Her husband
was a Scotchman, and though he con-
sdered his wife the "smartest" and most
lovable woman in all New England, he
sometimes wished she was not so impul-
sive. On her part, she found her hus-
bands cautious ways and guarded speech
a real trial sometimes, bat love and re-
spect taught each to overlook the others
faults.
Just now her Indignation was reused
against Solomon Libby's cred tors. MIR.
Libby had been i'll all winter, and
having large family to support, had got
into debt to a grocer in the neighbor ng
town. The country was new and money
was scarce, so when Mr.. Libby was noti-
fed that if the debt was not pad he must
go to JAIL there was no one to help him,
much as his neighbors desired to do so.
AS Marie ceased speaking Mrs. Noble
arose, and taking the tea she had come to
borrow, started for home, leaving her
neighbor alone with her black-eyed baby.
The afternoon sun shone warm, so Marie
placed her wheel under a spreading maple
near the house, and, putting the baby on
the grass near her, went on with her spin
ming.
The house was built of logs and stood
on q sloping bank, at the foot Of which a
little brook fretted and gurgIed at the
pebbles that sought to stop its way.
4
towering straight up into the blue sky,
while their tops swayed in the light
breeze, making mournful music and watt
ing sweet incense all around. The soft
sunlight came through the shade anu lad
along the ground in little patches of that
undesirable color that no artist can copy,
the color of a sunbeam on a bed of pine
needles.
Marie's white forehead was puckered
into two thoughtful wrinkles, and her
usual merry song was hushed. Presently
the baby began to cry, and she took him
up; as she sat nursing him, her eyes sud-
denly frightened, and she clapped her
hands and burst into such peal of laugh
ter that the baby crowed in sympathy.
Marie sprang up and throwing a light
shawl over her head, ran down the wood
road leading to Mrs. Mobiles with her baby
in her arms. Her light feet pressed the
vivid moss as she hurried on, and her
dress bent clumps of graceful ferns grow
ing by the roadside. All along the path
rose patches of arbutus, full of sweet wax
like boss oms just ready to fall from among
the shining leaves that sheltered them. a
cat-bird called out in hooking tones as
she passed, and tiny squirrel crossed her
path.
She soon reached her neighbours house,
and ran in flushed and painting. Mrs.
Noble came forward in alarm. What has
happened?" she asked, anxiously.
Nothing" replied Marie, breathlessly,
'only l have such good plan, and if you
will help me, l am sure we viii drive the
sheriff yet. i want you and Mrs. Brown,
and Mrs. Butler and Mrs. Libby to help,
and we viii save Mr.. Libby from Jail"
Marie now proceeded TO unfold her plan,
which seemed TO interest her neighbor
almost as much as herself. Together they
-isited the next neighbor who, in turn,
promised to let the other two women know
he secret.
Now" said Marie, at parting, don't
ell your husbands, for il we fail they Will
lever cease tormenting US if they find it
utu So each woman kept her own coun-
ell, and they all watched for the sheriff.
The following day, while Marie was busy
With her household duties, she heard
harp, imperious rap at her door, and on an
the summons, encountered Wat
on, the sheriff.
Mr. Watson was a round, short, red-faced
nan, with sandy whiskers and green eyes
md low, wheezy voice. He was exceed
ngly unpopular on account of his inso-
ence and cowardice. 1t was a mystery
low he ever got the Office of sheriff Just
low he was mounted on a tall, lank, white
iorse, and was so inflated with the sense
'f his own Importance that he seemed
-eady to burst. Marie told her husband
afterwards that he looked for allthe world
ike a great, yellow pumpkin.
She answered his salutation very graci-
,usly, however. and brought him draaght
IF water from the we'll. SIS this the direct
road to Solomon Libby's?" he asked. sob,
yes," replied Marie.
IL am going to Mr.. Libby's on an un-
pleasant errand, madam" he continued,
unwilling to lose the opportunity of let