The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-07
AMad Woman
BY ALAN HINSDALE

suyHeSS. one Was equally mercurlal
One moment the world to her was a
garden Of roses. the next a universal
cemetery.
/ was clerking on $40 month when
/ married her. and we went to live in
q cottage standing by itself on the out.
skirts OF the city. The nearest house
was half a mile away. OF course we
couldn't afford to keep a servant. SO
Lucy was cook and housemaid. Fortu.
nately her mother had taught her how
to prepare viands for an ordinary meal
and usually got home from business
In time to help her with the dinner.
Our only trouble was Lucy's loneli.
ness while ! was away. as | was all
day except Sunday. We had not
thought of this when we engaged the
cottage. Indeed. We were too young
and inexperienced to think of most of
our necessities. Every morning when
/ left my wife she would cling to me
so that it was hard to get away from
her. But In the evening when ! re
turned the happy smile on her face and
light in her eyes We're delicious
Our cottage was two stories and a
half high. The half story was nothing
more than an open space under the
roof. It was approached by a rude
staircase and entered by a trapdoor In
its door furnished with a bolt under.
meath. We would have used 1t for n
storeroom, which means a place for
family accumulations, but nothing had
as yet accumulated. Indeed, we hadn't
enough to furnish the house.
One day on returning from business
l had reached wood through which |
usually made a short cut to the house
and was passing through it when |
heard shcA which seemed to come
from the direction Of my home. l ran
through the wood, put before emerg.
ing from 1t heard another shot. fol.
lowed by the sound Of the falling of
shattered glass. Visions Of my little
wife being murdered lent me additional
speed, and, clearing the wood at a
bound, had a view Of my house.
Under window in the garrett stood
my wife with my fowling piece in her
hands. pointing 1t upward. Her back
was toward me, SO she did not see me.
you miserable, contemplate thing!'
she cried to some invisible object 'I
just wish you'd give me half chance;
I'd teach you how to break up my
china set that my mother gave me for
n wedding present"
For heavens sake, Lucy" I cried.
whom are you talking TOT"
She was so angry that either sne
didn't see me or wouldn't notice me. |
saw the frightened face OF a man for
a fraction of q second at the window
In the garnet and heard a simultaneous
report from my shotgun, followed by
more falling glass. l sprang to Lucy
and, selling the gun, wrenched It out
Of her hands.
"What does this all mean?" said
sharply.
'That miserable thing up there has
broken all our best furniture; the din.
ner set Aunt Harriet gave me and the
ten set mother gave me-
"Who is he? What is hep Where
does he come from?"
He came into the house pretending
he wanted something to eat, but, find.
ing me alone, he demanded money. l
told him I had none to give him. and
he began to break things and threat.
ened to kill me with a long knife II l
didn't give him all the cash there
was in the house. l told him he'd find
1t all hidden under a rafter In the
storeroom. He went up there. / fol.
lowed him and bolted the door after
him. ran downstairs, expecting to
faint on the sofa, but, seeing the wreck
Of our things, began to get mad. The
more ruined pieces found the madden
got Seeing your gun standing in a
corner, took It and, going outside, saw
he man at the window. He had made
l rope of some stun he'd found In the
garrett and was going to let himself
Town when l shot at him and drove
him back. Just think of that beautiful
ga set that my mother
l had heard enough. l told Lucy 70
90 somewhere and telephone a police
station, while I relieved her of her
'entry duty. The mans face appeared
It the window again, and she tried to
match the gun from me to get another
rack at him. told her to 60 at once,
md she went of. turning once or
vice to fire an angry look at the win.
low.
After she had gone I spoke to the
nan and told him he might as well |
make no effort to get away, and be |
Iuiet This he knew without my tell.
ng him. and. /. had no trouble viii
i'm till patrol wagon came with sew.
raj policemen and Lucy. The rascal
Fas let out Of his trap and taken
way.
The excitement being over, Lucy was
ute ready for a good cry" on my
boulder. but I think this was not 50
luch due to being let down as at the
'ss Of our belongings, which could
ct be restored by Furnishing the man
rho had broken them, for be had
othing to pay with.
However, when our relations and
riends heard the story of Lucy's trap.
ing the robber and her madness" at
is having broken up her property,
ley duplicated everything he had
so that we were not only as
'ell of as before. but was relieved
anxiety at leaving my wife unpro-
,cted during the day. However,
hen our lease expired, fearing that
'me other burglar might Brighten her
'ithout making her mad and thus get
advantage of her, decided to
owe into the city.