The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1915-12-30
Indisputable
Evidence
A Christmas Story
BY IDA SPEED
Copyright by Frank a. Munsey Co.

| Wnen MISS tecula cary come W llls
western country from back east to
teach music she was regarded as a
rank outsider.
Old man Seeberger, whose word amt
worth 10 cents, but whose signature
is worth all of $4,000. said the
first Sunday she sung before preachin
that when she got up ON them high
notes she put him in mind of Il bronze
when it's been throwed and gifts to
gaspin' and whcezm' as the rope Is
frightened.
But old man Seeberger's opinion was
not shared by all the male population
of Canadians, for them boys shore
swarmed, and, rattle the pianner and
boiler her vocal singin as she would,
she couldn't git 'em to settle.
She went to boardin' with the Wild
ow Hughes when she first come. Bill
Hughes was gittin' up some horses one
day and was dom fast piece Of ridin'
when his mount turned over with him.
Gopher hole, you know, Bill under the
whole works.
Never spoke afterward. and in two
hours his pretty young wife was known
as the Widow Hughes, and in spite Of
much persistent courtin' she's known
as that yet.
1t looked once like her and Red Mar
tin was goin' to make a hitch up of it,
but that seemed to iiZzle out, and he
was one of the leaders with Miss Cary
when she first come, for Red is the
leadin' kind.
He done in this case same as he had
with several women bcfore-hit the
trail to Arizona with a herd, right
when he seemed to have a walkover,
and Kick Fuller and Sam Hartman took
his place 50 complete he never was
missed.
Now maybe you've noticed how a
woman does about a solitary diamond
ring. If her folks give it TO her or she
buys it herself she'll always try to let
on like it come from her beau.
If a teller gives it to her she'll init
mate that it's a present from her pa.
somebody knew where nor just when
Mrs. Hughes come by her ring. In fact,
very little was said or thought about
it, as Bill had a accident policy, until
she raised a great hue and cry about it
bein' stole.
Chances are few for robbery here,
where everybody knows everybody else
and there amt no suspicious charac-
tiers, such as crooks, hoboes, promoters
and the like, so it shore looked plumb
odd when Miss Cecilia Cary moved
over to the Citizens hotel to board and
simultaneous begun 10 wear a dia-
mond the size as the enc the widow
Hughes had lost, only in a woman's
ring instead Of a heavy settin' like
Minnie Hughes had wore.
This would not have looked so bad
by itself but Adolph Warner, who was
the postmaster and express agent,
knew that Miss Cecilia had sent off a
small registered package one day just
before she changed her boardin' place.
He said he remembered it particular,
because while she was waitin' for her
receipt at the postoiTiCe window Red
Martin got MP from off the cracker box
he was settin on back by the stove and
told her if she was ready TO 20 he
would walk home with her, as he was
leavin' rs soon as the rest of the outfit
come by.
Adolph said she tcld Red all right
and that she was goin' to be on the
move that day too.
Red says, "Where toI"
And she tells him the Citizens hotel
and he says, Good and then Adolpl
handed the receipt to her, and they
walked out together.
Some days later she gifts a express
package about the size of the one she
sent Off by mail, and then she comes
/ out in that diamond ring.
Wen. Minnie Hughes never accused
nobody, but she limited powerful, and
! folks come to cool off on Miss Cecilia
She never seemed to notice it. but
just played her hand with Sam and
/ Hick, who stood by her manful and
| knocked the whey out of Teller OF
/ two apiece who merely related the
| facts in the case concernin' Minnie
| Hughes ring.
There was some talk of takin' pupils
/ away from Miss Cecilia, but IS her pa
irons had paid six months in advance
IN order to cit her TO come they didn't
quite give way to their fcclins TO that
| extent
The kids she gives lessons to all was
crazy about her anyhow, ANA they was
all lcarnin' fas,
In the store one day the little Har
man girl, Sans sister, was holdin' hci
teachers hand. ana she says, Miss
Cary where did that pretty ring come
| FROM"
Miss Cary looked around like she was
sccin' who'd heard, aud her face goi
awful red.
II haven't got any change with me,
she says to the Hartman muchacha
"but let's see if my credit is good for {
dimes worth of peanut candy and {
dozen apples"
And she shuts the kids mouth by
stuilin 1t full Of trash 20 eat.
Things rocked along until Christmas
with more talk Of that ring than any
thing else. and then folks begun to tr!
TO decide what they'd Ike 20 have Sc
rs TO give it Ia some Of their family
or friends for q Christmas gift, ant
gossip turned 20 the big dance thai
was TO come on on the night Of The
Goth, with fireworks before and after