Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1902-03-01
FROsTBURG, Md, SATURDAY, MARCH l, 1902.

and she even figured out who he would
take for his second wife. They went
to bed in an unhappy frame of mind.
and two or three times during the
night each woke up and wondered
about hot lead being poured into hus-
bands ears and wives being smothered
with pillows as they slept.
The next four wee.s were wrctchcd
ones. Not Il meal did the husband sit
down to without wondering if the food
or drink had been sSrinkled or mixed
with poison, and hardly an hour passed
that the wife was not on her guard
Igainst some sudden attack on her life.
One day the milkhouse door blew to
on her and made her Il prisoner. and
she uttered such screams of fear that
the tramp on the highway who heard
her did not dare go to heN.Ssistance
until he had summoned help. At an
other time she slipped on the cellar
stairs. and after much looking about
she discovered Il peach stone and treas
ured it up as legal proof of the hus-
bands planning. Love, trust and con-
fidcncc had flown out of the window,
and the neighbors sagely shook their
heads and observed that they We're
prepared to hear of an awful tragedy
any day.
One night the husband woke up with
n chill of fear. He had dreamed that
he saw his wife standing over him
with Il butcher knife raised to strike.
He found her beside him and SEEM
ingly fast asleep. but he determined to
pass the rest of the night on the hay
in the barn. He had scarcely left the
house when the wife woke up. She
had dreamed of being hacked to pieces
with the AK. and her husbands alb
sencc seemed to he proof that he had
gone ont after the weapon. She would
battle him by hiding in the carriage
shed until morning. 1t therefore hap
pcncd that while he was Skirting the
duck pond on the right to reach the
barn she was skirting 1t on the left to
reach the carriage house, and presently
they came together in the darkness.
"Murtlercr.' she shouted as she
turned to flee.
"MurdcrcSs!" he shouted as he start
ed back
Then both went slipping down the
bank, lawng and clutching at each
other, and brought up with a great
souse in the pond. Wet and bcdrag
glcd, they climbed out on opposite
sides, and while she spent the remain
der of the night shivcring under the
currant bushes and wondering if he
would kill her at the first blow or chop
her up by degrees he sat on the door
step and made up his mind to appeal
to the law without further delay.
just confronted each other when n
neighbor who was passing halted at
the gate to say:
"Hcllo, Jake. have you heard the
news?"
"NO." was the reply.
"Ain't you and Mary insured in the
Sure Pay Life Insurance company"
"Ycs.''
"Well. she's busted highcr'n kite.
and your policy amt wuth corncobs,"
"She's busted for sure" queried ia
cob.
"Sure's you live"
"And | amt insured and Mary amt
insured. and we wouldn't get a burned
cent if either dipdT"
"NOt n burned rcd"
"Thcn-then. come here. Mary, come
and kiss me-" said the husband as he
opened his arms.
"'Pears to me like you might be glad
Of the bust up" remarked the neigh
Dor.
"Durned II l amt" replied Jacob,
with tears in his eyes.
"And som |" sobbcd the wife as she
threw her arms around his neck.