The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1919-02-27

knew that he was dead. The dust
around him was wet. ran down the
hill few steps and stopped and
whistled to my filly. could hear her
answering whinny far down the dusty
road and then her hoofs as she gal
loped toward me. She came within
few feet of me and stood snorting.
caught and mounted her and rode to
the nearest house for help. On the
way saw why she had stopped. A
number of horses were feeding on the
roadside near the log house where An
drew Champion lived. Andrew had
just unloaded some hay and was back
Ing out Of his barn. 1 hitched my
flly and jumped on the rack saying:
"Drive up the road as quick as you
can. A man has been murdered"
What fearful word 1t was that
had spoken What panic 1t made In
the little dooryardl The man gasped
and jerked the reins and shouted to
his horses and began swearing. The
woman uttered little scream and the
children ran crying to her side.
The physical facts which are further
related to this tragedy are Of little
| moment to me now. The stranger was
dead and we took his body to our home
and my uncle set out for the constable.
Over and over again that night ! told
the story of the shooting We went to
the scene of the tragedy with lanterns
and fenced 1t off and put some men
on guard there.
In the morning they found the rob-
ber's footprints in the damp dirt of
the road and measured them. The
whole countryside was afire with ex-
citement and searching the woods and
fields for the highwayman.
The stranger was buried. There was
nothing upon him to indicate his name
or residence. Weeks passed with no
news of the man who. had slain him.
had told of the gun with d piece Of
wood broken out of it's stock, but no
one knew of any such weapon in or
near Lickitysplit.
One day Uncle Peabody and drove
up to Grimshaw's to make payment
of money. / remember 1t was gold
and silver which we carried In little
sack. I asked where Amos was and
Mrs. Grimshaw--a tlmid, tired-looking,
bony little woman who was never seen
outside of her own house-said that
he was working out on the farm of q
Mr.. Beekman near Plattsburg. He had
gone over ON the stnge late In June
to hire out for the haying. observed
that my uncle looked very thoughtful
as we rode back home and had little
to say.
"You never had any ldee who that
robber was, did yef" he asked by and
by.
"No--I could not see plain-it was
so DUSK" said.
The swift words, "Your money OF
, your life," came out Of my memory
and rang in 1t. l felt its likeness to
the scolding demands Of Mr.. Grim
; shaw, who was forever saying In ef'
feet:
; "Your money or your homel"
That was like demanding our lives
, because we couldn't live without oui
home Our all was in 1t. Mr.. Grim
shaw,s gun was the power he had oveI
| us, and what terrible weapon II
: vast / credit him with never realiz
: ing how terrible.
! We came to the sandhills and ther
Uncle Peabody broke the silence BY
saying:A
81 wouldn't give fifty cents for q.
much o. this land as bird could q,
} around in a day."
Then for long time heard onl,
the sound of feet and wheels mufflet
In the sand, while my uncle sat look
|. ing thoughtfully at the siding. WheI
? ! spoke to him he seemed not to hea,
me. ~
Before we reached home knew
. what was inChis mind. but neithe
dared speak of It.
People came from Canton and al
:. the neighboring villages to see and tall
Z with me. and among them were tn,
Dunkelbergs. Unfouhded tales Of m!
: bravery had gone abroad
Sally seemed to be very glad to Sc,
> me. We walked down to the brool
. and up into the maple grove and bacl
l through the meadows.