Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-04-12
The Man Who Was
Bribed
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1910, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

Abe Singer and his wife being too
lazy to work were determined to live
on the community Of Hopewell. The
constable warned Abe that he couldn't
do it. Abe said nothing, but Abes
clothing was found by the mill pond.
Mrs. Singer took on awful, and soft
hearted citizen started a purse for her
and $50 were raised, and there were
others who contributed food and cloth
ing. The widow moved from the sta
bic into shanty.
Ten days after the powwow Abe
Singer appeared He had been car.
ried downstream by the current and
thrown on an island, where he had re-
NAMED unconscious for days and with.
out food for other days. 1t was pref.
ty shy story, but the people had to
believe it and congratulate the teller
on his wonderful escape.
1t was about sixty days later when
the next event came off. A citizen
who owned a farm outside the village
hired Abe to dig we'll He had re.
fused Jobs not so hard or dangerous,
but he took this one right away He
preferred we'll digging to even the
postoffice steps When he had been
digging for two days and after he had
thrown out hints about quicksand and
cave-ins the alarm was given that the
curbi:g of the well had caved in and
that Abe was probably dead man
eighteen feet down.
There is only one thing to do in such
case-dig the poor fellow out. If liv-
ing, succo& him; If dead, contribute
fund t< Jury him and carry the widow
along. There were some who wouldn't
have come down but for the fact that
Abe had gone to work and made no
kick.
His desire to help himself opened
all hearts. If that hadn't then there
were the widows tears and lamenta-
tons to fall back on. The sum of 500
was raised for her, and it was more
clothes and more provisions.
The bottom Of the we'll was struck
at last, but there was no Abe. There
sure had been a cave-in, but it hadn't
caught him. There was a mystery on
hand to be solved. If not at the bot
tom of the we'll, then where was he?
The question was on every lip for four
days, and then Abe came back to an
swer it himself. It was easily ex-
planned.
He had had warning Of the COM
ing cave-in and had scrambled out.
Such was his terror that he had been
temporarily out Of his head. He re-
membered running away as fast as
he could, but when his senses came
back to him he was thirty miles away
and hiding in a farmers barn. AS
soon as he had recovered his nerve he
came jogging along home and was
ready to tackle the job again.
Hopewell shook its head in a doubt
ing way, but did not talk much. Abe
Singer was coming to the front and
becoming a hero. He had also moved
from shanty into cottage and was
living on the top shelf. AS matter of
fact, he did finish the we'll and thereby
made himself solid with all who might
have otherwise criticised. Neverthe-
less the town constable felt that he had
a duty to perform. He went to Abe
and said:
You went to your dealt in the river
and returned. You went to your death
in the well and returned. Don't try
the little game again. If you do I
don't believe the town will raise an
other dollar for your widow"
The summer had departed and late
autumn had come. Abe hadn't tired
himself out looking for any more jobs,
but was now offered the position of
night Waterman Of the village. 1t was
cold job and poor pay, and no one
wanted 1t until he stepped forward.
Not a robbery had ever been commit
ted in the village, but there were tax
payers who thought it best to gusrd
against such things happening. When
the constable heard Of the appoint
ment he met Abe to say:
mo f0olishness, now"
"1f robbers come I shall kill some OF
them,' was the reply.
But if you have them kill you don't
make Il mess Of it,"
II shall do my best to die. and when
you see me lying dead you will be sor-
~ for what you have said"
Two weeks passed, and then one
night at midnight there were yells
and shots and the noise of running,
and the people turned out to find Abe
Singer missing. He was searched for,
but not found. Next day there was a
grand hunt, but no clew. Robbers had
killed him and borne his body away
another public subscription for the
widow-more provisions, fuel and
clothing. She actually opened an &C.
count at the village bank and put on
mourning. Another two weeks and
the cat came back. Abe walked in to
say that he had discovered three yegg-
men about to break into the postoffice
and when he had fired on them they
had seized and chloroformed him and
borne him away in buggy. For
twelve days he had known nothing,
his job again.
Hopewell didn't say much. 1t didn't
threaten. 1t didn't bring out tar and
feathers. It simply asked the ques-
ton Of Abe Singer:
"How much cash will you take to
skate out Of this town and stay
skated?'
"One hundred dollars" was the