The Press., 1907-03-06
- FOR -
$4,000 EACH
By C. B. LEWIS
Copyright, 1905, by Ruby Douglas

Young James Harper, farmer, and
Sarah Lee, daughter of another farmer,
married for love. They had two or
three lovers quarrels, as was quite on
the cards and very natural, but for two
years after marriage no couple ever
lived more happily. This state Of at
fairs might have continued at least two
years longer but for Abner Jones,
ESQ.,, country justice of the peace and
agent for the Farmers Fire Insurance
company, and sewing machines of all
makes. bought and sold. He made his
appearance at the farmhouse one day.
well, jim" he said, what do you
and Sarah think? I've got the agency
for a life insurance company and am
going to branch out little. want to
insure the both of you. I've got Tom
Spooner and his wife. Bill Wheeler and
his wife, Silas johnson and his wife
and several others, and I'm here to get
you. want you to take $4,000 apiece.
If you die, Sarah, Jim has got $4,000 to
buy you a monument, pay funeral ex-
penses and go away to Niagara Falls
to get over his grief If you die, Jim,
Sarah has got money to bury you de-
Gently and carry on the farm without
having to rush of and marry again"
The squire went into further expla-
nations. He talked life insurance and
STAYED to dinner. He talked life in
surance and stayed to supper. He
talked life insurance and stayed until
- IT,, kHn
drank two glasses of cider, ate three
fried cakes and piece of mince pie
and went home to make out two poll
cies for $4,000 each.
Jim and Sarah had decided that such
insurance was a good thing. Neither
wanted to die, but IL death must come
they would not be selfish about it. 1t
would be a bond to draw them still
closer together. In the course OF
couple of weeks the policies were de-
livered, the premiums paid, and Squire
Jones stayed to dinner again and said
as he finished and wanted to lick his
| plate, but remembered his dignity in
| time:
"Now, then, young folks, this Is the
best thing you have done SO far IN your
lives. Keep on loving, keeping up your
premiums as they fall due, and don't
worry about the future. With $4,000
coming to the survivor In case of death
you needn't either of you begrudge the
Astors or Vanderbilts. Sarah, you can
dress in the most expensive mourning,
and Jim, you can wear patent leather
shoes and hear Niagara roar till you
get tired Of II"
1t was Squire Jones who was respon-
sible for the insurance, but 1t was Aunt
Deborah who was responsible for what
resulted. The policies had been care
fully laid away In the bottom bureau
drawer and the subject talked out
when Aunt Deborah came visiting one
afternoon. She had not been invited,
nor was she expected, but she proceed
| ed to make herself at home, and by and
by announced:
| Sarah, I have heard that you and
James have had your lives insured for
each others benefit, but told 'em you
were not the woman to go into any
thing like that"
But we have" replied Sarah. 1--WE
were insured two weeks ago."
upon my soul! No one could have
made me believe It."
But why? What's the matter"
Sarah Harper, do you know that
you have the same as doomed yourself
| to death?' asked Aunt Deborah, in
hoarse whisper.
what do you mean, AuntyY
"I mean that there isn't a man on the
face of this earth who wouldn't kill his
wife for the sake of $4,000 in cash.
That insurance is a temptation to MUIR
der. Hundreds of wives have been
killed OF every year, and you will be
one Of them to go before another year
rolls over your head"
The young wife laughed merrily at
the idea, but Aunt Deborah grew more
solemn and serious, and said:
"Don't fool yourself. Sarah. Jim is
lust as good a husband as any of 'em,
but you have put temptation in his
way. He'll be thinking of them $1,000
all the time, and the longer he thinks
the easier it will come for him to
murder you. Two thousand dollars in
cash and you out of the way so that
he can marry again is more'n he can
stand up under. shan't be bit sur
prised any day to hear that you have
been found murdered. Squire Jones
ought to be prosecuted for coaxing you
into such a thing, and I'll tell him SC
before the week is out"
Sarah continued to laugh and make
fun at the idea, and it was finally
dropped to take up soft soap and car
pet rags. When she set about getting
supper Aunt Deborah made sneak
outdoors and caught the husband as he
came up from the cornfield.
''Well," she began, after he greeted
her, you want Sarah to chop you up
with the ak or pour melted lead in
your ears, seep
what is 1t, auntyr'
ITS that life insurance. Henry Har-
per, I'm astonished at you. Do you
know how many wives killed their
husbands last year to get the insur.
ar az
"a million perhaps, but Sarah isn't
going to kill me-"
thine will tell, James; time will tell.
Sarah is sweet and lovely and limo
cent, but when there's $4,000 at stake
who can tell what woman will do2
With this farm and all that money be-
hind her If she was a widow she can
catch better looking man than you"
The good natured young man con-
tinued to laugh, and at the supper table
his wife laughed with him as they
!. chaffed Aunt Deborah, but the old lady
continued to shake her head and re-
ply:
"Wait till the ak or the melted lead
get to work and then we'll see whether
there is anything to laugh at or not"
That night at midnight Sarah woke
up with her heart beating rapidly. She
was about to nudge Henry with her ell
bow, when a sudden thought came to