Graham guardian., 1912-11-01
MIND YOUR OWN
BUSINESS
By CARL SARGENT ciiAE
CopyYsht. isae. BY American Press
Association.

II there's one thing I'd ruther do
than oil other things IT'S mindin' my
ewn business. II there's one thing my
Mandy d ruther Do it's. to mind soElc-
body else's business. aIlus tolc her
that the principal troubles we git into
In this world II pokin' our noses into
other peoples Affairs.
When Rogers and his wife come 10
occupy the form adjoining ourn tole
Mandy to let 'em alone. Mebbc she
could ~ done Il II II hadn't bin ths
We could hear 'em Quarrelin' clcat.
across the fields a quarter Of mile
away. That started Mandy. She was
continually a.lisfenin' and a-watchin'
and a-spyin' to see II she couldn't find
out somepn.
II was about the middle Of summer
when Mandy's mother that lived In
the admin county tux sick. She kcp
a-sendin' for Mandy. but MarGy
wouldn't 60 without me. got in tn
airiy crops and was gittin' ready FIJI
the later ones. Then one day a lett,i
come sayin' Mandy's mother was
a-dyin'. That settled II: Mandy he'd
to 60. and he'd to 60 with her.
i One mornin' airiy put the gray
mare in the buggy to drive Mandy
over to say goodby TO her mother.
We hadn't siep' more'n half the night
from hearin' the Quarrciin' goin on
between the Rogcrscs. list as we got
on to the road. Mandy. who couidIi
keep her eyes or cur neighbor's house.
saw Rogers 20 outen his house carryin'
the limp figure OF q woman In his
arms.
Law sakes." says Mandy. lies
killed her"
"Supposin' he has," says I. "Tai:l't
none Of our business And. whippin'
up the gray mare, druv along in
hurry SOS Mandy couldn't see any more
Of II.
waal. Mandy's mother was n con
sarned long time dyin'. Mandy
wouldn't stay there without me. she
wouldn't come home with me ard she
her. Consequence was we was gene a
lorg while. After Mandy's mother
died. knowin' the crops was suffer'n. |
got home as soon ~ possible. AZ we
was a drivin' along Mandy says. sa s
she. wonder ef they've discovered the
murder" and ] says says ]. "Jest y'n
keep your mouth shct."
was mighty busy aftAr thar aal
didn't think about Bothin' but ei,tin
In my corn. hut Mandy she went
snoopin' round to ind ont what was
known about the murder All she
could find out was that Mrs. Eorcrs
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.
tiled to stop her qucstionin'. hut J!
wasn't no use. She Jest talked anI
talked TIL the wimmcn suspicioncd
somethin', then they turned In and cid
q lot Of questionin' on their side.
I stopped her Jest in time to prevent
her tellin' the whole story: but. ,oas,d,
erin she'd talked 50 much and nobody
knowed where Mrs. Rogers hrd gone.
people began to suspect thar was
somethin' IN II.
First thing knowed Rogers was ar
rested for murderin' his wife. TIc
couldn't tell where she was. COS he
said he didn't know, They waren't
livin' happy together. and after hi;'g,r
quarrel n any they'd had before she'd
LEFT him. But everybody knowed that.
and Mandy n me knowed good deal
more. Somehow the -idee he'd got
abroad that he'd murdered her after
one o. their lights. and the authorities
was determined to find out about 1t.
When the case vas ready for trial
sure enough q eoihtable left a paper
ct the house, summonin' me and Man
dy as witnesses.
There you be- says t. her. IF
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."
"I'm perfectly willin'." she answered.
ito tell what know--it's my duty.
Thst's what you want to shirk. Elisha:
you don't appear to reckon you've got
amy responsibility In the gov'ment o :
yet country"
"a man" says I. "as can't govern
his vife's tongue isn't nt to bother HIS
head about bis share Of govcrnin' mil
lions gf men. women and children"
This shet her pp faF A few minutes.
The day Of the trial come on. Thar
wasn't no real evidence agin Rogers
only circumstances pintin' to somep'n.
I was put on the stand and questioned.
but didn't hev to say nothin' about
seefn' Rogers carryin' out body jist
about dawn. I'd tole Mandy. too, not
to tell It II she wasn't asked. But,
bein' sworn to tell the hull truth and
nothin' but the truth. she out with 1t.
The hull court, spectators and all. was
electefned. Rogers started mp 10 say
somep'n, but he was ordered to keep
quiet. Funny, isn't II, 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 electerfed
ag'in.
The murdered woman walked in.
.Jedge." she says. II seen in . paper
that mp husband Vas a-goin' to be
tiled fpr killin' me. ! list come back
TO say that II there had a been any
KILN, I'd o. done Il myself.n
The court adjourned and the prisoner
WAS set free,
'Td like to know" says Mandy to
Rogers, whose body you carried out
that mornin'."
sr,A. n~o-. ~o. .. t,r, xh. copc oraf