War Bribes
Allison. Ill. Aug. 12.
Dear Bro. Charley. Well Charley its been a long wile sence I wrote you a letter but 2 of the kids has had whopping cough and I been under the weather
to and they couldent no body help from not noticeing it unlest they was blind. But what could I do a bout it nothing.
Well Charley it all come out last night and we had some big time and I dont never want an other time like it only Im glad that I and Hamilton under stands each other and Hamilton says he will see that the town pays for what ever dammige was did a round my house. Martin was to yellow to stay home wile he was pulling off his little trick and neither him or his wifes been home sence yest. beffore supper and the house is shut up but he needent be scarred Im going to do nothing to him not now any way because Hamilton says for me to lay lowe and pertend like I dident know the truth and if Martin tries some thing more Hamilton will go in with me and we will run him out of town and an other reason is acct. of Im sorry for Mrs. Martin and to bad shes got to be tide up to a man like he and you couldent hardily blame her for looking at an other man onct in a wile.
Well Charley I aint got much time so I will hurry up and tell you what come off. I and Grace went to bed early last night and we wasent hardily no more then in bed when we heard the fire whistle blown and of a sudden we herd the fire enjine and hose cart out in front of the house and then the front door bell rung like they was trying to wake up the town and I thot may be the house was on fire so I run down in my night gown and opened up the door and pretty near got drownded. Well Charley the hose was turned right on me and me with out nothing on only my night gown and they give it to me full forse all over. Well I tride to holler at them to quit but a man cant holler very good with the hose turned in to your mouth and I guess it would of been all off with me only for Hamilton comeing.
He grabed the a guys that was holding the nozzle and busted 1 of them and told them if they dident shut off the water insolently he would have them all in jail and they seen who he was and shut it off. Well Charley the hole lore flr. of the house was under water pretty near and I was a reck. But I had sence enough left to send Grace up stares beffore I done any thing else. When she was out of the way Hamilton come in and brung the fire men a long with him and then he ast them what did it mean and at 1st they says it must of been a falts allarm but he says dont try any monky busness with me and the best thing you can do is tell the truth and then he told them right out what he suspect it and they owned up to it and told us how Martin had got them to do it and they thot it was just a joke between frends or they wouldent of had nothing to do with it.
Well Charley what do you think of that. Martin give them a peace of money and got a few drinks under there belt and then told them to pull this off and says it was just a joke and that I and him was frends. A fine frend hey Charley.
Well Hamilton give them a awfull balling and then told them to beet it and if they ever done any thing like that again he would get them and hes 1 of the bord that runs the town so you can bet they payed a tension to what he says.
Then Hamilton come in and told me to go up stares and get some dry close on because he wanted to talk to me so I went up and finnished my bath with a towl and put on a pare of pants and a shirt and come down and I and Hamilton had a good long talk.
Well Hamilton says that him and his wife had knew a bout what Martin was puting over on me for sevrul days but they thot it wasent there busness to but in unlest they was some real dammige done and when Hamilton seen the fire dept. out in the front of my house he thot it was a bout time to enter fear and I thanked him and we talked it all over and had a drink to gather and shook hands and he went home onily he told me beffore he went to not try and do nothing untill I could get Martin good and to wait for Martin to make the next move.
Well Charley it looks like I and Grace would be in right with the Hamiltons and the rest of the 4 hundred club and may be Martin will know enough to not try nothing more but if he does I and Hamilton will have him drove out of town onily a man cant help from feeling sorry for Mrs. Martin and I wont do nothing to injur her because a womman cant be blamed for looking at an other man onct in a wile.
Well Charley when Martin comes back I guess he will be supprised to find I and Grace hobbling a round with the Hamiltons and the other high monky monks hey Charley.
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