The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-10-17
SHE GOT
RILED
BY ARCHIBALD PETERS

dance I'LL CLOCK III lhe horhin
wasn't afraid of the devil himsel
/. while Marigod, though country sir
Q didn't dare go near a COW. Her motht
:, had to do all the milking.
: "what would you do" l asked he
IF robber came into the house"
II should die of fright" she replied
. This troubled me, for l proposed
. after our wedding day, to take my wifi
Z, on to my farm. and didn't see how
. could stay within eyeslght of my hous
all the while. II a tramp should som
along or criminal of any kind h
would have an easy job of gettlnI
away with whntever he could carry
But 1t wasn't this that troubled M
so much; II was the prospect OF comm,
home some day and finding my wifi
murdered or that she had been fright
ened TO death, which was about TIL,
sane thing.
Well, we were married. The boust
on my farm was about 100 years old
1t would require ten men month tC
knock II to pieces, so heavy aud so wei
knitted together was its framework. In
the Kitchen was fireplace six feet
wide. The furnltnre was as old as the
house and as strong. II was so heavy
that had casters put on every place,
When | went out in the morning
Marigold would ask how far I was GO
ing-whether would be within call
and all that
One day was obliged to drive to the
! county seat on some business and be
away several hours. Marlgold didn't
object TO my going-in that way she
was plucky-but could see she assent
ed with dread IL | could have sent
any one else | would have stayed at
home But | couldn't very well do So,
and, timid as my wife was. knew she
wouldn't have permitted such a course.
| kissed her goodby about Z o'clock
In the morning, drove to town, at
tended TO my business and reached
home in time for the noon meal
didn't see Marigold In the yard
watching for me. and this frig ltened
me. Driving up 10 the front door, let
the horses stand without hitching and
ran into the hail The rooms were all
In disorder. With my heart in my
throat | ran to the rear. In the kitch
en- saw sight. Most of the furniture
had been rolled against the fireplace.
end a board was placed one end
against a bedstead and the other
against the wall. Something awful
must have happened-that something
my wife had always dreaded II
flashed through my brain that this
dread was not due so much to physi- |
cal weakness as to premonition OF I
evil oh, why had | left her? If l 1
found her alive / would never leave
her alone again.
Behind the kitchen was the wood
house, and running through the wood
house, keeping my eyes open all the
while for my wife's dead body, | /,
emerged into the back yard. What
was my surprise and relief TO see Mari
gold sitting quietly on stump a short
distance from the rear Of the house
with my shotgun over her knees, her
finger on the trigger
"For heavens sake, sweetheart, what
has happened?"
She was so intent upon something on
the roof Of the house that she did not
reply. / turned my eyes in that direc
lion and was .hunderstruck at seeing
4 mans head raised above the chin
ley, But 1t was lowered Immediately,
~. taking another glance at my wife,
saw her with the gun to her shoulder !:
md pointing at the chimney.
Next time you do that" she said,
IN fire sure
Was ever man so bewildered as /?
"My dear" | pleaded, do explain"
about an hour ago" she began,
that villain in the chimney came to
he house and asked for something to
at. He saw by my locks that l was T
frightened and since was alone came
n and threatened to kill me IL didn't
ell him where the money was. Some
ow this made me kind Of mad. Be
ides, / didn't want to lose the money.
o just wouldn't tell him. Then he
lHSdChtu bht l4VGEts uDliC iuc
weeping, had put everything 90 rights.
nd it riled me to see him tossing
lings about. =
IL thought ii could get him into a :.
oset or somewhere | might keep him I;
II you came home. Then 1t occurred Z:
} me to tell him the money was in the !.
Kinney. He climbed up there, hunt ::
g for it. and | wheeled the furniture ::
yainst the opening and got a board !:
ON the woodhouse to brace IL with q
he couldn't move 1t away. He tried (:
Id, seeing himself cornered, was climb =
& up when | snatched the gun and /:
n outside. He was just getting out 4
hen told him If he didn't get back (:
shoot him" 4
There was a pause, at the end of I:
hich she added, You've forgotten to |:
IS me. dear" 4
Forgotten to kiss you! should =
ink I've seen enough TO make me for !:
{ anything" /.
folded her in my arms; then. taking !.
2 gun. ! ordered the man to come out 4
the chimney and down. In an hour .
lad him lodged In Jail. II
'ince this episode don't permit my !:
fe TO talk about her fears and / GO !:
ny as often and stay as long as .
o Won never ran fall xrhos ,-. - -