Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-08-27
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clearly.
case in vi UNCLE MARTINS MONEY. :
mont W

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~ OSEVlLlE was asleep In the
Tx d,liness of Sunday aft rnoon.
SIn Mrs. Maoneys sitting room
there was the odOr of strong tea. and
That $nt that Mrs. Burns and Mrs.
Ryan mad stayed over after mass for
dinner AID were having fri ndly cup
of tea before they started homeward
with their husbands. The men them
selves We're hanging about the village
somewhere There had been silence for
some minutes-a heavy Thoughtful
slence-after Mrs. Maloney's last re-
mark. The good women were relatives.
cousins in the first degree, and Mrs.
Maloney had been talking of their ma
telnal i'm le.
It's IA perfect shame" she had sa d.
"Uncle Martin has a good deal OF
money saved up. | am sure. He won't
spend it himself and he won't give
anybody else chance at it, and, like
as not, when he dies, he'll leave 1t to
Father Shanahan for something or
other that he happens to take into his
head. Martins getting dreadful pous
in his old days. since he's been living
alone in the little house"
''Ile hasn't it in any bank at Fair
brooke" said Mrs. Ryan. because Pat
has asked
Like as not" Mrs. Burns said, "he
has it hid in the house somewhere.
He's that queer about it, you never
can tell. He's always wishing he had
money enough for trip to Chicago.
But the Lord knows that it is he that
could so if he wanted to. Not chick
nor child to hold him."
Mrs. Maloney looked thoughtfu.ly at
the speaker. Il saw him get In with
the m.uv,erns AFTER mass. He was
going out to the farm to dinner with
them. We might walk over to the
house, and If he's in, give him little
visit. If he isn't"
The key Is under the doormat,"
said Mrs. Burns
And over to Uncle Martins the good
ladies went He was not at home,
and the key was under the mat The
house. though generally clean, had the
air of being managed by man, which
women see at once. The pipe was laid
away with the cups and saucers, and
a pair of shoes stood prominently on
one of the chairs. But none Of them
had any eyes for these incongruities
to-day
"IIOw much" said Mrs. MalOney,
''do YOU think he might have" as she
drew out drawer of the old bureau
.,
"A thousand or So" said Mrs. Burns,
from the depth of an old rag bag
Il don't bell We it's that much" said
Mrs. Ryan. as she went through the
old cans and jugs stored away in the
closet
They We're so busy that they did not
hear step outside. just as the three
of them concluded to look through the
cornshucks in. the tick.
But all their digging brought forth
nothing but few cents laid away f T.
ready change. less than Il dollar n. %
gether
Red IN the face with hurry. and 9
little bit ashamed, too. they put things
back as best they could.
Il wonder where he has it. any
wayY
DO you suppose it is that he really
hasn't any, as he says" said Mrs.
Burns.
"Pshaw"' said Mrs Maloney, skcp-
tcally
The next morning, however, Mrs.
Maloney was to have more exact
knowledge as to the amount Of Uncle
Martins money. Her husband, who
was the village constHb BILE. along with
being the biggest storekeeper, came
in to her eXcitedly.
Uncle Martin was just in the store.
and he says somebody has stolen his
money. He says there We're signs of
somebody being In his place when he
came home yesterday evening. and h.
thinks he can find out who 1t was"
Mrs. Maloney was skimming the
soup, and she almost dropped the
lade. After few moments she
managed to control herself enough to
ask:
How much does he say he had?"
zone hundred and fifty dollars.
would have thought he'd have had
more" But Mrs. Maloney made no
protest. She was suddenly thankful
that the old man was satisfied with
that.
And then, think" went on her
husband. ''of the shame on the town.
There hasn't been anybody in the jail
for more than five years-not since"
Mrs. Maloney interrupted him:
whats Uncle Martin going to do
about it,"
Hes gone Off to see If he can get
some evidence He has suspicion
who 1t Is; he's going to be gone until
this evening, and then he's to let me
know. He's"