Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-07
The Mob at BIufftOwn
Short story by KATHERINE TDONALD.

Copyright. 1903, by Katherine McDonald)
Stephen Ballantyne was the youngest man
who had ever been elected sheriff Of Lewis
county. He had carried on a manly and
good-nRtured campaign and even his op-
ponents were not unanimously In sympathy
with the Weekly Pocket when 1t attacked
him for going on on q weeks vacation at
The very beginning Of his term. For the
bass had begun to bite in Anderson and
the governor and a party Of state poll
ticians had invited him to their camp at
the "old Stone MIL" a ~favorite rendezvous
for fishermen OF southern Indiana.
Mrs. Ballantyne did not approve Of his
going, even when he urged that 1.-The gov
ernor. auditor Of state and a couple OF
congressman are not to be hshed with
every day" But, knowing hat her hus-
bands ambitions only began with the
shrievalty, and that acquaintance with in
huential men would be necessary to his
future, she did not oppose him. The jail
was we'll filled with prisoners and she was
not yet used to living in close touch with
crime, so It was arranged that she should
take Baby Stephen and spend the week Of
her husbands absence with a dear old
fries1 living about nve miles out Of town.
Aunt Charlotte Pulling was the most
generous and practieed hostess OF the
county and Mrs. BaIlantyne enjoyed her
hearty joviality and constant mothering
quite as much as her husband his genial
companions and phenomenal luck on Ander-
son.
Lewis is a prosperous county. In every
direction telephone wires are stretched
along the well kept roads and all day long
gossip and messages. grave and gay, Hash
over them from one farm house to another.
One morning II CHANGED that Mrs. Ballan-
tyne, being alone In the house, answered
& call and received a message so horrify-
ing that she paled as she listened. Uncle
Joshua Philipson. one OF the best known
and most respected farmers Of the county,
had Just been discovered lying dead in his
own house from a knife wound, and near
him. her old gray head crushed by some
heavy instrument, lay his wife-everybody's
Aunt Becky" one OF the best beloved Of
the dear old helpful, strong-hearted Hoosier
women of the pioneer generation.
After the FIRST call the telephone bell
kept up a constant ringing, a neighbor or,
perhaps, some accommodating merchant
in town, sending on every bit Of news or
rumor as IL came out. BY 10 O'Clock II
was known that the murder had been
committed by two farm hands VIII had
lived upon the Philipson place. By 2 In
the afternoon one Of them had been found
hiding in an empty corn bin in the bot
toms" near town. AT 4 he was safe in
Jail at Blufftown. and there was hope OF
getting a confession which would lead to
the arrest OF his accomplish. About 4:S0
o'clock Rose Rawdon. Mrs. Ballantyne's
sister. called her from the telephone ex-
change. where she was employed.
81 am so glad you are out there" she
said. The town Is awful! They say there
are fifty men here from Kentucky, and
more crossing the river all the time. And
ever so many down from Riverbend. and
In from Athens. and the Fair Fight
neighborhood. / guess every farmer for
ten miles round has come to town. The
1880 train from Spring Grove was crowded.
They say when the packet gets In and the
evening, train there'n be 1000 strangers
on the streets. And. say. Alice"-dropping
her voice-"Truman Wallace is trying TO
swear in a lot OF men to help guard the
jail-a mob. you know. l am SO glad you
aren't here! Yes, I'll keep you posted.
Goodbye"
After supper that evening the Pullings
and their guest sat on the front porch.
Mr.. Pulling dozed; Mrs. Pulling ioun6ed
little Stephen back and forth In a rocker
less chair and sang the old camp-meeting
|, tuaes that had soothed eight lusty sons
of her own. Some one called from the
sitting room:
Mrs. BaIlanyne, there's a long distance
|, call for you"
She took up the receiver In trembling
anxiety, and exclaimed at once:
"oh. Stepheni where are you?'
AT Boone" he said; "iust got here after
the hardest riding / ever did"
How did you know about it,"
"One OF the boys brought the news tc
the camp. Say. Alice. stay right where you
are. I'll send for you tomorrow"
you are not coming home. Stephen"
Hush: no one must know-by midnight
think"
How can you? II is impossible!"
"But I will; only promise 10 stay where
you are. Get word TO Truman that he
must hold out ~ there is trouble 'ul
come. Goodby. dear. l haven't a moment
Goodbyi"
Mrs. Ballantyne went back to the porct
and sat quiet. though her heart was tori
with anxiety.
The birds we're twittering among the
eedars in the front yard. The first nre.
flies we're darting over the meadows. thu
sweet-breathed quiet OF the country even.
ing embodied them. Suddenly 1t was tori
away like gauze by a long. low. blood.
eurdling sound. Mr.. Pulling sprang to hi
feet. Good LOrdi' he gasped. they've go
the blOOdhounds after that fellow"
The telephone bell rang. Simon Martin
living near town. called up the Pullings L
say;
They're trailing him with hounds Com
ing right out the big road. Amt in sight
but you can hear 'em. Coming right you
way!"
George John Mason. a still nearer neigh
Dor. called a little later;
The hounds are in sight over Bacon
hill, coming hekety-splitl Must be twent
men fOllering IN buggiss and horseback
Going myself. BE by your way pretty 500
now"
Another ring and Jake Dowdy. Wheezin
with asthma and excitment. managed {
say.
Then hounds jest passed here. wush'
Merry would q let me gone! But night al
u Amt the hest In the world for me-