Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-08-19
POLLY's BURGLAR.

"Rouben. did you put fresh straw
IN the hog-penP"
"Yaas
Ibid you lock the smoke-house
door?n
..Yaas."
lis the barn fastened up?"
"Yaas.
"Hey you got kindlins' fur morn
IMP"
"Yaas"
well, you'd better look into the
hen-house and see II thar ar any
skunks around and then empty all
the water out OF the well-bncket and
go 10 bed. ] don't expect Dan'l be
home afore midnight, and mebbe he
won't come at all It's an awful
night and them oxen win slip all
over the road. He orter knowe1 bet
ter than 70 start on in sieh threat
min weather, but he was allus self
willed and obstinate.
Ii was Polly Smith talking 70 the
hired boy. She was a woman nearly
% years old The people In town
would have referred 10 her as Mrs.
Smith. cut III the country she was
never spoken Of except as Polly
smith. and very often the Smith was
dropped, and she was referred 10 as
just Polly She was a short we'll
built woman Of considerable fame
among her neighbors. She WAS an
authority on measles. whooping
cough and b0ils Her soft soap was
always the best Her dried apples
never withcred. her pickles never
spoiled aud her currant wine had a
fCpntation all over the country.
Unele Dan'l, AS her husband was in
. yariably referred to was Of about the
same age and still hele and hearty:
Z !, was midwintor, and lac had hitched
/ tic oxen 10 the sled ami started for
+ RAwsOnYiiic. nine miles away, 70 sell
Z three fresh killed hogs Il threat
/ cned storm when he left. and later
on Il began raining and freezing. and
night came down dark and wild.
I Polly smith had no hired girl II
wa, one % her tnasts that she al
ways did her own work and always
4 expected To- Reuben. tho hoy. was
oaly IL. and glad enough 70 get of
to bed as soon as supper was over
when H. had departed tho woman
placed d candle ID the pRrlor window
~ a beacon light for her husband
got the lantcrn ready 20 light ant
then sat down before the iircplac,
with her knitting
mo more sense In Danl goin' I,
Jacksonville to-day than ms falliu
into that fire. she unused as sht
heard the storm raging outside. "ltl
sarye him Jest right 10 be caught i
this storm. though ! do pits IN
have a most remarkable smellings @
oxen. Goodness Only Z o'clock
At intervals II ten minutes during
the next hour Polly Smith locke
into the parior % see II the candi
was burning all right, and now an
them after an unusually heavy gus
oi wind. she pcercd out ~ the side
window IN fear that the hcn-hous
door had blown open or the hog.pe
had been unroofed Il was $50 whe
there came a knock On the sitting
room door
LAND q massy, but that's c
Henderson come over 70 tell me thg
one Of his young uus has got II
Group exclaimed the woman. "Wel
I've got at least quart Of skunk
ilo and thar's nothin' better n
Group Come in"
The door opened and stranger 81
tered Polly Smith had half rise
from her chair to welcome ncigl
Dor. but she sank back and droppe
her knitting work as she stared q
the stranger lie was muiiled up
a greatcoat and comforter and hi
fur cap was pulled low down. hu
enough ~ his face could be seen
give tho woman a bad FIRST impre
sion.
Good evening"" he growled, as h
: shut the door behind him. "Ba
storm. isn't it? Hard TO turn dc
out such night rs this. "
While he was speaking he was ais
diyestiug himself Of his wrap
When no advanced TO the fire Poll
saw that he was beeilc-browcC
grim.iaccd man about forty years oil
nc had on too good clothes to pa.
for farmer and his impudent 4,
meanor was not that OF strang,
soliciting shelter from the storm
Polly smith felt faint and weak q
she jumped To the conclusion that i
was a robber. but she made a might
effort 20 appear at case as She aslSe,
. .'Who be you and what do yo
want2"
III have called on matter of bus
= ness. !" he replied. as he rubbed h
hands before the fire. 81 want
scr your husband about borrowin
, some money"
who sent you?"
mo one in particular. kno
/, that he sold $500 worth Of beef Gait
) last week and / thought Id borro
|. tho money. AZ he isn't ut home
! can do the business with YOU Brin
{ me the cash.
Z What what do you mcanV"
: al mean | want that $500, togetht
= ;,h ,,,,, etnnu change living arOuT