Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-01-30
A Hunting Party

81 sTER fathers death mother and
IA\ L livad alone tnpathar II was

81 ETER fathers death mother and
IN lived alone together. 1t was
80 pretty hard for mother, with no
man in the house, and l was only a
girl Of 49, We did all the Homework
ourselves, which wasn't much, and as
much of the farm work as we were
able to do.
Mother never kept any money in
bank. In the first place, there was no
bank nearer than ten miles, and, in the
second, she wouldn't have known how
to keep bank account.
One day, one of our horses having
died, mother went to town to buy an
other. At the time one farm hand was
at work for u.s. a man we had engaged
few days before. Mother had been
gone but about half an hour when he
came into the house and told me she
had asked him to keep sharp look
out for me, as was only girl, alone
and without protection. He was 50
kindly spoken that at first believed
him. This emboldened him to say that
there were tramps lurking about and
would do well to put any money
there might be in the house in safe
place. Then began to suspect that
he said this to find out whether there
was any money in the house, SO told
him that all the money had been paid
out except what mother had taken viii
her to pay for the horse she intended
to buy. Then he threw off all pre-
tense and ransacked the house. Not
finding what he was after, he came
into the kitchen, where was washing
dishes, and. taking up knife, threat
ened to kill me If didn't tell where
the money was kept.
Our sex are always dreadng such
trials as 1 was passing through, but
when they come we surprise ourselves
by standing up under them with unex-
pected GOODNESS. couldn't see how it
was his interest to kill me, since the
secret (for him) would die with me.
1 kept my mind bent on the problem of
how to outwit him, but to outwit a
man in farmhouse, with no telegram
or telephone or any one within calling
distance, Is not an easy matter, and 1
made no Roadway.
The only thing could do was to tell
him that there wasn't any money In
the house, or, If there was, that l
didn't know where 1t was kept. l rec
commended him to look in different
places, the cellar, the cupboard and the
upstairs closets. He ransacked every
place suggested, but found nothing.
He was not likely to find the place
where the money was hidden. Our
house was very old and had been built
with an old fashioned big fireplace in
the kitchen. Up the chimney, which
was large enough to admit human
z body, mother had taken out brick
and broken off half Of 1t. This left
room for any money she had behind
the brick. When 1t was put back in Its
place 1t looked like the other bricks.
Well, ut last the man grew SO fierce
that was afraid he might murder
me, and told him where the money
was. He at once stood In the chin
$1,000
ney and began to hunt told him the
money was higher, and he pulled the
kitchen table on to the hearth. In his
search he supported himself by brac
ing his knees and back. showed the
table farther in, so that it covered the
mouth Of the chimney. Then for the
first time 1t occurred to me that l hat
him In trap. There was heavy
cupboard In the kitchen, and l move,
1t against the table. just then l heard
an exclamation Of delight and knew hi
had found the money.
His next move was to order me t.
take away the table, but had another
matter to attend to. Knowing thai
when he found he couldn't come dow
he would go up, ran to mothers bed
room, where since fathers death she
had kept his rife, loaded, standing al