Abner Hides in Barn

Originally Aired: September 2, 1935

In Lum & Abner #186, "Abner Hides in Barn," Lum finds himself in a desperate situation, hiding in Abner's barn loft to avoid angry stockholders of the Great Western Silver Mine. The disgruntled investors, led by the particularly enraged Caleb, are threatening violence against Lum and Squire Skimp after discovering the mine is a fraud. They learned that a man named Worthington, who had offered a million dollars for the mine, was actually a fake brought in by Squire to drive up stock prices and sell more shares. Though Lum protests his innocence, claiming he knew nothing of Squire's scheme and even bought more stock himself, the stockholders believe he was in on the swindle.

As Abner brings Lum his noonday meal of turnip greens and cornbread, Lum works on a letter to explain his innocence to the stockholders. He addresses it to Abner and signs it "somewhere's in the USA" to keep his location secret, intending for Abner to read it at a stockholders' meeting. However, Lum nearly gives away his hiding place when he accidentally includes in the letter that he's hiding in Abner's barn loft, forcing him to quickly revise his words.