Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-08

AAtAoSiA ~ SUM IL
Guy remembered how he had seen
Miss Betty in the courthouse, tape
line in her hand, jotting down some
thing in a notebook 1t flashed over
him, just then, that she had been TAX
ing measurements with the view of
concentrating this coup.
allow was it done, iudge?" oueried
Guy.
easy enough. The Harmony folks
manufactured pair of long axles and
swung each one between couple of
low, broad-tired wheels. There was
a storm last night, if you remember,
and that was exactly what the other
side wanted. The noise of the thun-
der and the wind, and the rain
drowned out the connection thev
made, SO that no one in this town
heard them-unless it was Keever and
they very soon took care of him, I'll
guarantee. After they had lifted the
courthouse with iackscrews, they slid
the wheels under it, front and rear,
and then hitched several teams of
horses to it and hauled it away. You
can see the tracks of the wheels where
they sank into the wet ground. Petit
bone and several more, armed to the
teeth, have started along the south
trail at gallop. But they'll have
their trouble for their pains, mark
me. Here's notice that was left
sticking on post near the court
house site, and, it's what call adding
insult to injury with vengeance.
The judge took from his pocket very
carefully wet and bedraggled scrap
of paper on which was written the fol-
lowing:
To the People of Concord, Greeting:
We needed courthouse to go with
the weathervane, so we thought we'd
take yours. Now if you will please
build us coal shed to go with the
courthouse, you will greatly oblige,
The People of Harmony.
flows that for blow between the
ribs?" asked Waffle as he returned
the paper to his pocket.
cts terrible setback" said Guy.
Notwithstanding the financial peril
with which this success of the oppo-
sition threatened him, the humor of
the situation appealed to the young
man and he sat down on the cot and
laughed till he choked. eff we don't
look out for those fellows, Waffle" he
observed, finally, they'll come over
here and steal the town. l wish some
one would go my bail so can get out
and do little looking around"
"I've come to let you out on your
own recognizance, Herbert"
"How's that?"
"I'm doing 1t on my own RESPONSE
bility. You see, I told the indignation
committee that if they kept you pris-
oner they'd have to bring you up for
trial. After the way threw the law
into Liscomb they're afraid to have me
try your case, and SO they said they'd
keep you a prisoner until after the
election. That isn't the law the way l
read it, and as Pettibone is chasing
after the courthouse and as I've got a
key to this room, I thought this would
be good time to let you out. The
| people have got their heads so full OF
| other things they won't be able to
think of you for awhile, and I'd advise
| you to go some place--Jimtown or
Bismarck, or anywhere else you want
to-and stay for few days until the
suspicious and hard feeling against
you have chance to blow over"
"I'll do it," said Guy, and shook Waf-
fle's hand gratefully. eff you hadn't
released me, though, I'd have gotten
out of here before many hours had
passed. I'm going to Amityville to see
if can't win few votes for Concord
"You'll take the risk for nothing
I'm afraid"
what risk is there?"
"Well Abe Landy rules the roost in
Amityville, and Vlandingham hasmade
himself so solid with LandY that
| they're all red-hot for Harmony. II
| you go there, however, take my advice
and stop with Landy. He's misery
old sinner, but he's the most fair-mind.
! ed of any one in the town"
Thanks. I'll remember the name. -
Guy followed the Judge from the
room, down the stairs and out into the
| street. The wild clangor of the bell
had ceased and the excited shoutings
the grind of carriage and wagon wheel.
| and the fierce tattoo of hoofs had giyer
| place to a churchyard quiet. There
were many people on the street, but
their hats were pulled modify dow
over their brows and they conversei
| with one another in hushed tones. The
| stunning effects of the calamity hae
I set in.
| Going over to the Lisbon House, Guy
/ passed through the deserted office tc
/ the dining-room. A waiter served him
his breakfast in an agitated and alb
sent-minded manner, and when the
young man had finished his meal h,
went up to his room, packed a few ar
ticles in satchel and then left thu
hotel and made his way to the livery
stable. There were many citizens clus
tered about the site of the courthouse
but they youchsafed Guy no attention
whatever. Lem Bilkins was there, sit
ting forlornly on one of the four posts
that had supported the stolen build
ing. Mr.. Biggs, the register of deeds
was circling sadly about the spot, be