New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1909-10-06
WAITING TO SHOOT The MAID He WANTED.
Rv EDMOND 3. LINCOLN.
copyright, 1909. by American Press Assoc
60 citation. -

BY EDMOND 3. LINCOLN.
copyright, 1909 by American Press Asso-
ciation.I
Gerald Maxwell. being threatened
with pulmonary trouble, decided to
give up business, go west and live an
outdoor life. Taking his family with
him to Kansas, he bought farm there
and entered upon the work of raising
crops. He succeeded in re-establish-
ing his health, family of children
grew up about him. his wife was con-
tented in his western home. and the
Maxwells were considered the hap
piest people of that region. Moreover.
they were greatly beloved for their
kindness to their neighbors.
/ One day neighbor owning farm
on the opposite side of the road from
the Maxwells died. and his family
moved away. A few months later the
closed farmhouse was reopened. and
about the place. He had bought the
farm and. being bachelor, had gone
to live alone on it. His name was
Stuntz. He came from Kentucky. was
about forty years old. wore his hair
and beard long, never apparently comb
ing either the one or the other, and
was in all respects a disagreeable
looking person.
Mrs. Maxwell, realizing that the fam
lily comfort depended largely on their
neighbors. was great disturbed at the
advent of Stuntz. Her husband made
light of her fears And, indeed. for a
time the neighbor gave them no trou-
i BILE. AS matter of policy Mr.. Max
well went over and made his acquaint-
ance. and Mrs. Maxwell invited him
to supper He accepted the invitation,
but said very little during the meal.
The only person present who seemed
to arouse his attention was Caroline
Maxwell, the oldest daughter, aged
; twenty.
Not long after this Stuntz Joined
! Miss Maxwell on the road and walked
with her. She treated him civilly.
though she found it difficult to do So
After that whenever he saw her out
of doors he would make some excuse
to be with her. One day Mr.. Maxwell
was astonished at receiving call
from Stuntz for the purpose Of asking
for Caroline's hand. The father con
cealed his disgust as we'll as he was
able, saying that any such match
would be impossible. Caroline wher
she heard Of the proposal refused tc
again speak to the wooer.
From this time forward StuntZ spent
all his leisure time arranging annoy
ances for the Maxwell family. He
contrived that his cattle should gel
within the Maxwell fences and tramp
down the crops; he shot Tommy Max
wells pigeons; he appropriated the
Maxwell fruit These were only the
simple methods he used to trouble hi:
neighbours; his more complicated ones
were too disagreeable to catalogue
The result Of the whole was misery
to the Maxwells. There was too mucl
self restraint in the family to make
any complaint to the farmers living
near, but it was not long before the
condition leaked out. and many were
the mutterings against Stuntz.
One day Mr. Maxwell was obliged
either to surrender his manliness O
protest at the shooting by Stuntz o
the household dog, beloved by all thu
Maxwell family. Stuntz went into hi
house to get his gun to kill Maxwell
whose wife, terrified, dragged hin
within doors and locked him in.
That night Mrs. Maxwell begged he
husband to move away from the hom
where they had been so happy an,
could still be happy were it not TO
their neighbor. and, since she was sup
ported by all the children. he wa
obliged to consent. The next mornin
Stuntz was seen sitting on his pore
with his gun in his hands, evidentl.
watching for Mr. Maxwells appear
ance. Mrs. Maxwell first saw hir
and before her husband was aware Q
STUNTS position had locked her hus
band in his bedroom.
The weather was hot and murky
ragged clouds passing overhead. Dur
ing the afternoon a dark mass 0
cloud appeared above the souther
horizon. Mrs. Maxwell, looking out Q
t a window, saw It, She also saw Stunt
sitting with his gun across the roa
! not 200 yards away OF the two sh
dreaded Stuntz the more, though sh
:. kept her eye on the cloud. Presentl
l 1t assumed the shape Of an immens
balloon. She let her husband out Q
confinement, showed him the cloud, an
: the whole family went to the cellar.
, Stuntz was not facing the balloo
2 cloud and didn't see it. Furthermore
he, being from Kentucky, had had n
] experience with Kansas cyclones. O
J. came the pillar of cloud, gyrating Xix
: a top and humming like mighty cal
aract Stuntz heard the sound, but di
not know what it was. He was afrai
to get up and go to the other side 9
4 his house for fear his neighbor Nigh
: slip away and he would miss an OF
! portunity of shooting him.
. Thon c116dnn1v 2fI1nf1 ani6 a mo G