Putnam patriot., 1911-10-27
TOR S2,OOO
 EACH.
An Insurance Deal That Made
 Trouble For Awhile.
By C. 3. LEWIS.

HAfHH Lee Adurl4ltt BA AAADAt4Nt At+h f+f CT. married for love They had two or three lovers quarreis. as was quite on the cards and very natural. but for two years after marriage no couple ever lived more happily. This state of affairs might have continued at least two years longer but for Abner Jones. Esq. country justice Of the peace and agent for the Farmers Fire Insurance company. and sewing ma chimes of all makes. bought and sold lie made bis appearance at the farm house one day.
 "Wen, Jim" he said. what do you and Sarah think? I've got the agenTy for life insurance company and am caing to branch out little. want to insure the hash of you I've got Tom snoofer and his wife. Bill Wheeler and his wife. Slas Johnson and his wife and several others, and I'm here To get you ! want you to take 5000 apiece If you die, Sarah. Jim has got S2OO0 to buy you q monument. pay funeral expenses and go away to Niagara Falls 10 get over his grief If you die. Jim Sarah has got money to bury you de gently and carry on the farm without Paving to rush on and marry again"
 The squire went into further expla- nations. He talked fife insurance and stayed to dinner He talked life in surauea and stayed to supper He talked lie insurance aud stayed until Q o'clock T the evening Then he drank two glasses of cider. ate three fried eates aad a piece of miaee pie and went heae to make out two poll. efea for 70 Ea8 each
 Jim and saesb had decided that such insurance as god thing Neither waated to die. but If daath must come they would mol bc selfish about L. II would be Il bond tp draw them stil closer together In the course of couple of weeks the policies were de Iivered. the premiums paid. and Squire Jones stayed to dinner again and said as he finished and wanted to lick his plate. but remembered his dignity in time
 "Now. then. young folks, this Is the best thing you have done so far in your lives Keep on loving. keeping up your premiums as they fall due, and don't worry about the future. With S2.OOo coming to the survivor in case of death you needn't either of you begrudge the Astors or Vanderbilts. Sarah, you can dress in the most expensive mourning, and Jim, you can wear patent leather shoes and hear Niagara roar till you get tired of it.
 It was Squire Jones who was respon sfble for the insurance. but 1t was Aunt Deborah who was responsible for what resulted. The policies had been care fully laid away in the bottom bureau drawer and the subject talked out when Aunt Deborah came visiting one afternoon She had not been invited. nor was she expected but she proceed ed 10 make herself at home. and by and by announced:
 Sarah, have heard that you and James have had your lives insured for each others benefit. but told 'em you were not the woman to go Into any thing like that"
 But we have," replied Sarah. we were insured two weeks ago.
 Upon my soul No one could have made me believe 1t.
 But why2 Whats the matterY
 sarah Harper. do you know thai you have the same as doomed yourself 10 death?" asked Aunt Deborah. in hoarse whisper.
 What do you mean, aunty v
 .I mean that there isn't man on the face of this earth who wouldn't kill his wife for the sake of S2,oo0 ;n cash That insurance is temptation 10 murder Hundreds of wives haye been killed of every year, and you will be one of them to go before an other year rolls over your head"
 The young wife laughed merrily at the idea. 5ut Aunt Deborah grew more solemn and serious and said;
 Don't faoI yourself, sarah. Jim is just as good a husband as any of 'em but you have put temptation in his way. Hen be thinking of them S2,V0a all the time and the longer he thinks the easier it win come for him to murder you TWO thousand dollars in cash and you out of the way so that he can marry again is more'n he can stand m under shau't be bit sur prised any day to hear that you have been found murdered Squire Jones ought to be prosecuted for coaNing you into such thing. and lh tell him so before the week is out.
 Sarah continued to laugh and make fun at the idea, and it was finally dropped to take up soft soap and car pet rags When she set about getting supper Aunt Deborah made sneak outdoors and caught the husband as he came up from the coruiield.
 Well" she begun after he greeted her. you want sarah to chop you up with the uX ar pour melted iead in your ears l see"
 What is it. auny|
 Its that life insurance. James liar per I'm astoushed at you ho you know how many wives killed their husbands last year 10 get the nsur anceT
 "A million perhaps. hut Sarah isn't going 10 kin me"
 "Time will tell. James, time witl tell Sarah is sweet and lovely and inno cent. but when there's S-CCo at stake who can tell what a woman will dot With this farm and all that money be hind her r. she was a widow she can atch a better looking man than you.
 The good natured young man con flnned io laugh. and at the supper table hts ,.ifa lnnehed With him Us they