The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1913-07-18
SHE GOT
RILED
By ARCHIBALD PETERS

cause she was such a frail little thing,
so different from me. a s%trapplng
farmers boy who could follow q plow
all day and sling my legs at q barn
dance till 4 o'clock In the morning.
I wasn't afraid Of the devil himself,
while Marigold, though a country girl,
didn't dare 80 near a COW Her mother
had to do all the milking.
what would you do" l asked her.
III a robber came into the houses"
II should die Of fright" she replied.
This troubled Tic. tor Z proposed.
after our wedding day, to take my wife
on to my farm. and I didn't see how I
could stay within eyesight of my house
all the while. If a tramp should some
along or n criminal Of any kind he
would have an easy Job OF getting
away with whatever he could carry.
But 1t wasn't this that troubled me
so much; 1t was the prospect Of coming
home some day and finding my wife
murdered or that she had been fright
ened to death. which was about the
same thing.
Well, we were married. The house
on my farm was about 100 years old.
1t would require ten men a month to
knock 1t to pieces, 80 heavy and so we'll
knitted together was Its framework. In
the kitchen was q fireplace six feet
wide. The furniture was as old as the
house and as strong. 1t was so heavy
that I had casters put on every piece.
When I went out in the morning
Marigold would ask how far I was 60
ing-whether l would be within call,
and all that.
One day I was obliged to drive to the
county seat on some business and be
away several hours. Marigold didn't
object to my going-in that way she
was plucky-but I could see she assent
ed with dread. If I could have sent
any one else I would have stayed at
home. But I couldn't very we'll do so.
and, timid as my wife was, I knew she
wouldn't have permitted such a course.
I 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
I didn't see Marigold In the yard
watching for me. and this frightened
me. Driving up to the front door, I let
the horses stand without hitching and
ran into the hall. The rooms were all
In disorder. With my heart In my
throat l ran to the rear. In the kitch.
en- I saw a sight. Most Of the furniture
had been rolled against the fireplace,
and 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. It
flashed through my brain that this
dread was not due so much to a physi-
cal weakness as to a ~prenOnition of
evil. Oh. why had I left her? II I
found her alive I 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, I
emerged into the back yard. What
was my surprise and relief to see Mari
gold sitting quietly on a 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. I turned my eyes In that direc-
ton and was thunderstruck at seeing
a mans head raised above the chin
ney. But 1t was lowered Immediately.
and, taking another glance at my wife,
I saw her with the gun to her shoulder
and pointing at the chimney.
Next time you DO that" she said.
"Ill fire sure"
Was ever man SO bewildered as II
my DEAR" pleaded. do explain"
about an hour ago." she began,
that villain In the chimney came to
the house and asked for something to
eat. He saw by my looks that I was
frightened and since I was alone came
In and threatened to kill me II I didn't
tell him where the money was. Some
how this made me kind Of mad. Be-
sides, I didn't want to lose the money.
So I just wouldn't tell him. Then he
ransacked the house. l had done the
sweeping, had put everything to rights.
and 1t riled me to see him tossing
things about
II thought II I could get him into q
closet or somewhere I might keep him
till you came home. Then It occurred
to me to tell him the money was in the
chimney. he climbed up there, hunt
Ing for 1t. and I wheeled the furniture
against the opening and got a board
from the woodhouse to brace It with
20 he couldn't move It away. He tried
and, seeing himself cornered. was climb
Ing up when l snatched the gun and
ran outside. he was just getting out
when I told him II he didn't get back
I'd shoot him."
There was a pause. at the end Of
which she added, you've forgotten 70
kiss me, dear"
Forgotten to kiss you! I should
think I've seen enough to make me for