Willmar tribune., 1909-03-10
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
; One Hundred Dollars
j, In Gold.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

10 IN OOl0. 8
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
copyright, 1905 by T. c. McClure.l
Farmer Henderson borrowed half
bushel measure of the Widow Bailey,
and one Of his cows kicked the bottom
out Of It. He offered to ray Is cents
Tor the damage, and the widow want
ed 30. This led to hard feelings on
both sides.
One day the farmer sold off some
live stock and was paid 500 in gold.
The sale was made at his barn, and
instead Of going at once to his house
to put away the money the man wrap
ped the ten pieces in his handkerchief,
put them in his pocket and went to
the back end of his farm to see about
building dam across a creek. He
was poking around for two hours. and
then he cut across portion Of the
Widows property to get home. In so
doing he came across an old white
horse that had been turned out to live
as long as he would without more
work.
In passing the animal Henderson
stubbed his toe and took a sprawl,
and the incident was to bear fruit.
When he reached his house those ten
pieces Of gold wrapped up in the ban
danna were missing.
Henderson flew to the barn and
searched around for half an hour.
Then he was off for the creek. He
had two hours Of daylight, and he
searched the ground almost inch by
inch. Not sign of his missing money
could be found. He did not return
past the old horse nor give him a
thought until near midnight that night.
He blamed himself, his wife blamed
him more, and his evening was any
thing but joyous. He woke from a
sleep troubled with bad dreams to cry
out to his wife:
'1've found it, Hannah; I've found
it,!
"Well, don't yell the news to the
whole county. Where did you find
it,"
"Say, now, I passed Widow Bailey's
old white horse in her pasture, and
while was looking at his spavins
fell down. The wad must have work
ed out of my pocket then. I'm going
to take the lantern and go over there
and look"
'And little good it'll do you. If you
lost the money there the old horse has
eaten it up. There's an article in our
county paper this week about a horse
that ate up money. He had that hun
dred dollars hogged down before you
were home. He might have swallowed
it all at once, but l rather think he
took a piece at a time, so as to enjoy
the richness of it,
"But what in thunder am going to
doY' exclaimed the husband in des-
peration.
'Go out in the morning and look. If
the money is there, it's all right; if the
old horse has swallowed it, you'll have
to buy him to get it back"
They sat up the rest Of the night dis
cussing the matter, and when daylight
came the farmer was off to take q
look. He found the old equine lying
down and fast asleep, but he didn't
find the money. It had been gulped
down. When he returned and reported
his wife said:
'"Then you eat your breakfast and 60
over and see the widow. You've got
to bow the knee. You've got to be
slick. You've got to get up some sort
Of story. You've got to have that old
horse before noon."
The husband felt that he had. 1t
hurt and humiliated him, but there
was a hundred dollars at stake. When
he had finished his meal he walked
over to the other farmhouse, having
at his tongues end what he thought
was a pretty good yarn. The widow
was drawing water at the we'll. She
i ceased to draw and stood looking at
the caller.
Mrs. Bailey" began the farmer aft
er clearing his throat two or three
times, "you have an old white horse.
have known him for years and years,
always had soft spot in my heart
for him. He's no good to you any
more, and I want to buy him."
~About that half bushel measure?'
replied the woman.
Heres dollar for it. Sorry we had
any trouble. What do you think the
old critter is worth?'
"Well, as he has served me faithful.
ly, thought I would never part with
him, but being I'm thinking some OF
moving to South Dakota, and being
know you'd use him we'll, I might let
him go. I should want a hundred dol
lars, though
"Good lands, widow, but you know
he isn't worth five!"
mo, he isn't, but there's sentiment
about it, you know. If wasn't think