Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-08-10
MIND YOUR OWN
BUSINESS
By CARL SARGENT CHACE
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association.

ii Association. II
If there's one thing I'd ruther do
than all other things it's mindin' my
own business. If there's one thing my
Mandy d ruther do it's to mind some
body else's business. I allus tole her
that the principal troubles we git into
In this world Is pokin' our noses into
other peoples affairs.
When Rogers and his wife come to
occupy the form adjoining ourn tole
Mandy to let 'em alone. Mebbe she
could a done it If it hadn't bin tibet
we could hear 'em quarrelin' clean
across the fields quarter Of a mile
away. That started Mandy. She was
continually a-listenin' and a-watchin'
and a-spyin' to see if she couldn't find
out somep'n.
1t was about the middle Of summer
when Mandy's mother that lived in
the admin county TUX sick. She KEEP
a-sendin' for Mandy. but Mandy
wouldn't go without me- got in the
airly crops and was gittin' ready fur
the later ones. Then one day letter
come sayin' Mandy's mother was
a-dyin'. That settled it; Mandy he'd
to go, and he'd to 60 with her.
One mornin' airly l put the gray
mare in the buggy to drive Mandy
over to say goodby to her mother.
We hadn't slep' more'n half the night
from hearin' the quarrelin' goin' on
between the Rogerses. Jist as we got
on to the road, Mandy. who couldn't
keep her eyes off our neighbours house,
saw Rogers go outen his house carryin'
the limp figure of a woman in his
arms.
Law sakes" says Mandy. Hes
killed her."
"Supposin' he has," says l. "'Tain't
none Of our business" And, whippin'
up the gray mare, I druv along in a
hurry SOS Mandy couldn't see any more
Of it.
WAL. Mandy's mother was a con-
sarned long time dyin'. Mandy
wouldn't stay there without me, she
wouldn't come home with me and she
wouldn't let me come home without
her. Consequence was we was gone a
long while. After Mandy's mother
died. KNOWN the crops was sufferin',
got home as soon as possible. AS we
was a drivin' along Mandy says. says
she, wonder eff they've discovered the
murder" and I says. says 1, "Jest you
keep your mouth shet."
l was mighty busy after that and
didn't think about nothin' but gittin'
in my corn, but Mandy she went
snoopin' round to find out what was
known about the murder. All she
could find out was that Mrs. Rogers
he'd gone away. She asked where Mrs.
Rogers he'd gone, but no one knowed
anything bout it.
Fearin' she'd git us into trouble. I
tried to stop her questionin'. but it
wasn't no use. She jest talked and
talked till the wimmen suspicioned
somethin'. then they turned in and did
lot of questionin' on their side.
I stopped her jest in time to prevent
her tellin' the whole story: but. consid-
erin she'd talked so much and nobody
knowed where Mrs. Rogers he'd gone.
people began to suspect thar was
somethin' in it.
First thing knowed Rogers was ar
rested for murderin' his wife. He
couldn't tell where she was. eos he
said he didn't know. They waren't
Twin happy together. and after bigger
quarrel n any they'd had before she'd
left him. But everybody knowed that,
and Mandy N me knowed a good deal
more. Somehow the idee he'd got
abroad that he'd murdered her after
one o their fights. and the authorities
was determined to find out about it.
When the case was ready for trial
sure enough a constable left a paper
at the house. summonin' me and Man.
dy as witnesses.
'There you be-" says to her. III
you'd "a KEEP yer tongue in yer head you
wouldn't "a been pestered to tell about
somep'n as don't consarn you
Pm perfectly willin'," she answered,
Ito tell what know-it's my duty.
That's what you want to shirk. Elisha
you don't appear to reckon you've got
any responsibility in the gov'ment O.
yer country"
"A man." says l, las can't govern
his wife's tongue isn't fit to bother his
head about his share of governin' mil.
lions of men. women and children"
This shet her up fur few minutes.
The day Of the trial come on. Thar
wasn't no real evidence agin Rogers
only circumstances pintin' to somep'n
/ was put on the stand and questioned
but didn't hev to say nothin' about
seem Rogers carryin' out a body jist
about dawn. I'd tole Mandy. too, not
to tell it If she wasn't asked. But
bein' sworn to tell the hull truth and
nothin' but the truth. she out with it.
The hull court. spectators and all. was
electerfied. Rogers started up to say
somep'n. but he was ordered to keep
quiet. Funny. isn't it. they won't let
the person most interested say what
he knows. Waal. the prosecutin' at
torney was a-thunderin' agin the muir.
der when the court was electerfied
ag'in.
The murdered woman walked in.
"Jedge." she says. II seen in a paper