The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1913-07-04
GRANDMA'S
MONEY
Bv M. QUAD
Copyright. 1919. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

outskirts of the village of Grafton.
without friends. She was bit eccen-
tric. and she lived that way because
she preferred TO. She was well liked
by NIL. and her life was passing smooth
ly nlong when there came an adven-
tnre to turn things topsy turvy.
Grandma Phelps sold piece of land
in the west she had owned for many
years and received $4,000 for it There
was bank in the village. and one
would think that the woman would have
deposited her money there. She didn't,
however She would not lend 1t or
bank II or turn 1t over to a relative to
safely keep. She announced that she
would keep IL in the house The whole
town came TO know of her decision.
and everybody predicted that some
thing would happen. After six weeks
something did happen. Grandma ran
out into the street one morning and
cried out that she had been robbed of
her money during the night
1t was sure thing that grandma had
lost her money. but how? The sum
was In big bills and was wrapped In
cloth and carried In the bosom OF her
dress She eonld not lose II In walk.
ing about. she had not been out of
her own yard for three days previous
To missing the money. The sheriff
workrd Oh the ease a week and then
innde mp his mind that the old woman
was little Off In her head and had
not lost the money Mt all, but simply
wanted to crente little excitement
ana be talked about There are such
people. and the officer was not SO stu.
pid In thinking he had come across
one. His belief was strengthened by
the woman's words and demeanor.
After the first outcry she took things
very calmly and finally even laughed
over the loss and said:
"Oh. well. let 1t all go. No use in
keeping the whole United States upset
about little thing like this"
The case was dropped, SO far "a any
oncer working on II. but of course the
'aiR didn't cease 1t was surely a mat
Ter to wonder over. and it furnished
TAX Tor three months. Even the chill.
dren had theories about 1t. There was
just one single person among the hun
dreds interested who went ut that case
10 solve 1t In common sense way. and
mat person was boy fourteen years
Old His name was Tom Henderson.
ana his father was the village black
shith. The boy has since become the
mead OF detective agency In the west
and II was that case that, ss,a ned his
career.
Tom Henderson believed the woman
mad neither been robbed nor sent her
money away. Tie boy had known
grandma for thres. years and had often
run errands for her. She had told him
mat she believed In dreams and tina,
- she was worried about anything her
sleep was broken. That was the nolnt
be started from.
Now you've got the key of the mys.
terry. Looks easy, doesn't 1t? And vet
Thousand people passed It by Tom
Henderson wasn't sure no waa r,oht
- course. put tbs view OF the case
seemed 10 be the only one to explain
'nines. airandns had been sleeping
III tue money 7 Inder her pillow. She
'sia GOT up In ie sleep and put 1t else
Where Where? If a robber had got
INTO the house he would search all
ioout. The woman would have rea-
'oned that out. The safest place for
'he mon1:y would be outside. There
sas nc cellar. but there was a wood
med and h.mcoop In the shed was
INV, Us standi ng a barrel Of hen food.
,1ont think Tom worked this out In
..dif an hour 1t was two weeks be-
fore he got to it. and then he couldn't
say ne had 50 ire thing. 1t simply
seemed reaso nable theory. When
De started OUT Il ne day to test his theo-
~ he was Pea spring In his excite
nent. rs he arrived at grandma's
cottage he was hailed with:
say. Tommy. hear that the mill
Is going to sh at down for several
Weeks. and l guess FL have the hen
eed barrel filed up"
How much have you got LETT" ask
ed the boy In a trembling voice.
"Oh. maybe n third of a barrel"
Grandma, W eren't you afraid of
robbers all the time you had that mon
ey In the house p
Yes. toward the last. when every
body said I'd lie. murdered for 1t"
And you didn't sleep well7"
Il should say I didn't! didn't sleep
an hour at tim e. Something funny
happened to me that last night. had
counted the none y over and put 1t un.
der my pillow when thought heard
some one under The bedroom window.
That started me to worrying.
thought some on g might have been
looking in and seen where l put the
money"
did you tell the sheriff of this?"
No No one got In"
hut what was Ule funny thingY'
why. | went 10 bed and to sleep.
and the next thing knew I had fallen
over chair In II re middle Of the floor.
J must have wau led In my Sleep"
The boy beckcs ned grandma to come
out into the she Il with him. and when