The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1916-12-28
An Ingenious
Woman
A Story of the Days OF
WitCIlcraft.
By F. A. mitchell
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There was once a young man named
/ Conrad who married girl named
4 Joan. They were vassals on the estate
Of baron who owned and ruled over
great territory. The man and the
woman were both poor. and their
neighbors wondered how they would
get on. Nevertheless they prospered
and their prosperity was all on account
OF Joan, who was very shrewd. One
| thing puzzled those who knew her. She
did everything In way so queer that
some of them thought her demented
And yet her acts resulted to her bene-
| lit.
One person, and one person alone.
came to understand her-her husband.
Conrad was a stupid man, and 1t is
likely this was the reason why he casle
to be an excellent auxiliary to his wife.
Having no ideas Of his own, he was
readily recipient Of hers. For ten
years she kept instiling her way Of
doing things into him, so that at last
not only could she trust him to follow
her lead, but at times to take the mi
tiative on her methods.
There was much warfare In small
way In those days, attacks being made
by one suzerain upon another. In one
Of these incursions upon the domain of
Baron Elginbrod where Conrad and
his wife lived Count Hastings, the in
cursionist. took Conrad away with him.
having learned that he and his wife
had accumulated money, and held his
prisoner for ransom.
Conrad was thrown into prison and
told that he should stay there till he
paid the ransom. He remained cap
tive some time then sent word to his
captor to say that If he would give him
a messenger he would send him to his
wife with an order TO pay the ransom
The count at once furnished the mes
Senger, and Conrad wrote the following
message to Joan:
MY Dear Wife-l wish YOU TO nav the
ransom demanded by Count Hastings for
my release | viii wait for you TO do so
FOR one week one week from tonight IL |
am not liberated | will hang myself in |
the chimney of the room where | am con- |
fined. Your loving husband, CONRAD.
This letterwas submitted to the count. /
who read it with satisfaction, for, said
he. IF the woman is inclined 10 dicker
as TO the amount she shall pay. the
threat Of her husband to hang himself /
will Influence her to pay any sum |
And be doubled the amount de.
manded for the ransom
When the messenger delivered the
note to Joan and she read her hns-
lands threat to hang himself she fell
over in a faint. The messenger did
what he could to revive her and en-.
dcayOred 10 reassure her by pointing
ont the impossibility of the prisoner
hanging himself In the chimney. since.
In the FIRST place, he had no rope. and.
in the second place. even If he had
there was nothing in the chimney to
which be could attach a rope.
This seemed to comfort Joan, and,
her strength. she wrote her
husband a note stating that she would
be unable to raise the money required
Tor the ransom in so short time. but
she would do so as soon as possible.
She added note begging him not to
hang himself. thus depriving her and
he children OF his care and the pleas
ire OF having him with them.
The messenger went back TO the
,ount with loan's letter. and II was
cad with satisfaction for II was evil
lent that she was so terrified at her
husbands threat. Notwithstanding the
act that Il would be impossible TO
AIRY II out. that she would do all IN
ler power 10 raise the money for the
ansom So the message was deliver
d TO Conrad. who read H. evidently
LEASED at the prospect Of getting bis
berty.
A week passed. and the nigh, came
n which Conrad had threatened 70 ! I