Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-08-09

WOW over the opposite stone wall,
and down into the meadow. And by
that time he was so fused up that
ne didn't stop to see any more and
came along full pelt to the store. He
said that the yells of the thing when
1t crossed the road were too much for
his nerves. He didn't have any grit
left to chase 1t.
Just as we were getting up a bee
to go and investigate, the store door
slammed open and in stomped Silas
Sprague, the Wilder Sprague's nine
teen-year.old boy. where's Consta-
Bile Britt?" he yelled.
Right here" said Britt, shifting
his chaw.
The Sprague boy was big, larrup-
ing chap. and he cracked HIS fists
together and hollered: 1--WE found
out that l can lick him, and I've lick.
ed him good and plenty; but that
amt all there's going to be to this.
l want him arrested now. and sent
to States prison for his whole ding
blamed life!"
He was tearing out of the store.
motioning for US to follow him; but
Britt bumped along and grabbed him.
you amt told me whether it's Ma
poleon Bonyparte or King George you
want arrested yit." yelled Britt. do
We think l can work without any
clues?'
cts Gale Allen!" howled young
Sprague. And want him put into
States prison where he belongs"
And then as near as we could get
at it from him, 1t seems that Gale had
come around to the Sprague house
that evening with new kind of a
sled that he had tinkered together,
and made Wilder 8. bundle up and
come out, and he put her on board
and sat on behind and started down
through the sugar orchard, spite OF
all that could be said. Sprague boy
said that the hill was one glare Of
ice with snow bumped around each
tree, the way 1t does, and all frozen
smooth, and that the sled got to
whee-jigglng around and Gale fell off,
and there was the wilder, bundled all
up and left on board and no way to
steer.
The sled would dodge straight for
tree, strike a glary hump and
whoosh around and make for another
tree, and whoosh again, and there
that woman went pellity-whoop for
half mile, just missing each tree by
an eyelash, and off down across the
road and over the meadow and
whong-bunt into haystack.
"And started after her." said the
Sprague boy, "and on the way came
across Gale Allen, where he'd been
wrapped around tree, and there and
then l found out that could lick
him; and l done 1t to the queens
taste. And got my mother back
home, and there she's settin' on the
bed. grabbing the foot-board and hol.
lering SOS you can hear her a mile,
and thinkin' all the time that she's
sliding down hill and missin' trees,
and the neighbors say that near's
they can tell she's lible to be slidin'
down hill in her mind for all the rest
Of her life, and hollerin' like that,
and he's broke up our happy home,
and now l want him put into States
prison!"
After he got 1t all out of him we
had to put snow down the back of
his neck to bring him out of his hys-
terics.
Well. for a fact that was a sad
story to hear about our genius. OF
course, a genius has good many
rights that the ordinary man doesn't
have; but 1t really did seem that this
was a matter to be looked into. So
delegation headed by the constable
started off to investigate and proceed
in matters as the case should war;
rant.
AS the coroners say, we first took
look at the remains. The Wilder
Sprague's house was full of neigh
bors, and she was still sitting on the
bed with her muffler round her head,
hanging to the foot-board. her mouth
wide open and hollering: ooh, my
Lawd, there's a tree! Drag your
feet! Whee! There's another tree!
Ow! Stop me! Oh, my sakes!
Drag your feet!"
Half the women were all saying:
"Poor critter!" and the others were
swapping "Missabul scoundrel!" You
can figure pretty well on which ones
to fit the names.
They say it's long lane that has
no turnin'." said the constable; "but
it seem to me it's longer hill that
amt got any bottom"
"And trees on it thicker'n spines
on a quill-pig, to ledge by her re-
Marks" said another man.
IF any Of yes got the sperit of a
louse." yelled Mis- Liza Bangs.
you'll march boots to the house of
that missabul Gale Allen that's done
this turrible deed and fetch him to
the ring-bolt with good round turn.
He ought to be strung up higher'n
Hannah"
The way those women Endorsed
that would have done good to the
souls Of Populist convention.
The first selectman came in Just
then. and they all lit on him.
"All is" said Mis- Bangs, III you
men folks don't stir your stumps al
mighty sudden the women of this
town will take 1t up, and therell be
a b'ilin'-water bee that will take skin
and bristles off'n one hog in this
town."
The selectman, who had just
bought new sleigh of Gale, with
crown and crossed gavels painted
on it as delicate compliment. tried
to say something about the eccen-
tricities of genius; but the women
few at him like setting hens at q
barn rat.
Gents" he said, turning to us men
folks with a sigh, II guess the vote
of the meetin' is in favor Of what
you might call an official investiga.
ton. l will lead the way to our
genius house, and all those so mind
ed may foller me-"
The selectman had to fairly drive
back two of the women to stay and
take care of the wilder, for fear she
might try to jump of her mind.sled,
as you might say, and get into trou-
BILE. 1t certainly was about the most
popular excursion that was ever or
ganized in the town Of Carmel.
Everyone wanted to go along.
It being an official party. headed
by law and authority, we didn't stop
to knock at Gales house, but trudg.
ed straight in on the heels Of the Sc
lectmau, like ducks following a
leader.
Gale was sitting on his bed, too.
l have an idea that he was the most
cvrpryyad rpop thot ovor hold on