Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-06-05
mate MS robbery, he had resorted to
this daring scheme In sheer despera.

mate MS ROBBERY, he had resorted to
this daring scheme In sheer despera-
ton. ~.
For minute or two could hear
the man thrashlng around in the tan
gled brush; and then, apparently sur
missing that the wallet had fallen at a
point some distance back, he pushed
farther into the forest and could hear
him no longer.
The farm wagon was rumbling along
toward me at snall's pace. 1 knew
that 1t would be useless for me to cry
for help while the farmer was at that
distance; for even If I could make my
voice heard, the robber in his wrath
might do me bodily injury-perhaps
kill me-and escape before the farmer
could possibly arrive. So stood there,
my hands trembling, and prayed in an
incoherent way that the robber might
be delayed until the farmer was near
enough to render me some assistance.
Nearer and nearer the wagon came.
l could almost distinguish the features
OF the farmers face. and could hear
quite plainly his cries Of "Ged dep"
and "G'langw
For one brief moment I INDUCED In
the illusions of hope, and then my
heart sank within me deeper than ever
as saw the team turn into a by-road
and disappear.
In a second had determined upon
wild dash. With difficulty getting my
left foot into the stirrup, swung my
self across the saddle. Hardly had /
seated myself when the horse started
of. And the next minutes we were gal.
Looping madly up the pike.
Suddenly / heard far behind me a
loud cry; and glancing hastily over my
shoulder, l saw the robber come run.
ming out Of the woods, wildly waving
his arms and shaking his fist at us.
paid no attention to him; nor did
the. horse heed his late masters voci.
ferrous "whoas.'
On we galloped. did not sing now
l have a faint recollection of passing
several men and boys during that ride,
one or two of whom, believe, called
after me. But who they were or what
they said to me. l do not know.
On and on we gallopsed. We passed
the old blasted oak at the corner OF
Watson's corn-field, and assembled the
slight rise in the pike known as Ben.
der's Knoll. And then my heart gave
great bound as saw, through a gap
In the hills before me, the end of our
big red barn, and little farther off,
the brown, implanted roof Of the farm.
house.
A few moments later I rode in
through the barn-yard gate; and, after
tying the horse to the fence, hasten.
ed over into the fields to convey to ia.
ther and Joel my momentous news
Again and again l asked myself
"What will father say?"
Once or twice I was on the point OF
rushing back to the house to tell my
story to mother; for / knew that she
would comfort me, and II necessary. In.
tercede on my behalf But was near
to the place where father and Joel were
working; and voice within me seem
ed to whisper, Don't be coward
Tom Norcross!' So hurled on.
We'll, Tom" said father, as came
up, did you bring the money with
your"
81 started home with It, pa" said,
"but, pa, I-I-I-was-I vas
robbed!""
"What?" said father, Strengthening
himself with jerk.
s"sow said Joel, lncredulously. Il
want to known 81
Tom. do you to say that you
were robbed on your way up from
ClayvIlle?" said father.
For reply told my story from be.
ginning to end. Now, pa, 1t wasn't
my fault, was It?" asked. ~. -.
mo, Tom" said father. II don't
think 1t was your fault; bullets 60
and take a look at that horse"
ran ahead of father and Joel, and
by the time they reached the barn
yard gate had led the horse down tc
| meet them.
Father carefully looked the horse
over, searched In vain for spawn OF
ringbone, anda forced its mouth oper
to examine its teeth.
Here, JOEL" he said. "lead him w
and down once or twice."
| Joel led the horse up and down tn,
yard several times, while father
standing at little distance, eyed Il
critically.
Finally father turned to me.
'Tom," said he, this horse is worth
q great deal more than eighty dollars
1t is very doubtful II the scamp whs
robbed you actually owns the animal
II he does, he viii never come to CLAIM
1t. But 1t Is probable that 1t belong
to some one else, and If that is so W,
must seek the owner"
| We sought the owner In vain. w,
advertised the horse five successiy,
weeks in the Exeter County Sentinel
and tackled up notice In the Clayyillt
postoffice. But we received no reply
The robber himself was never agal1
seen in this part Of the country.
One day several weeks later. whlls
passing the scene Of the robbery, wal
impelled by curiosity to explore tn,
ground among the trees at the road
side. did SO; and to my astonish
ment 1 found, lodged in the uncovered
roots of large oak, fathers wallet
The robber had not found It'll
There certainly was robbery on tn,
Valley Pike; but who was robbed, ant
by whom was the robbery committed
Many years have passed since then
and l am no longer boy of is. Blu
to this day my conscience Is decidedly
uneasy on the subject of the robber,
on the Valley PIke.-Youth's Com
panion.
| Our Voices Deepen.
The primitive inhabitants Of Europ,
| wore all fonors. their doccondopto ~