The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-04-04
..Did Won like our sonu. SARAH ~,

The habitnally aggressive face looked
piteous, and her great dark eyes glim
mered. They were suffused with tears
She rapidly brushed the back of he
hand over her eyes and calculated
"1hem fellers busted my see-saw.
cum here to bust them"
As harsh as her words were they con
veyed an explanation for her presenc
in which the child-perhaps uncon
sciously-expressed regret for her evi
intention.
The streets were still and deserted
The peaceful little city seemed to hav,
gone asleep with all its inhabitants
only Granny Smiths Den was illuminef
by solitary dip-light. A few
ruffians were discussing one of thos'
plans, the execution of which had giver
Shippenville its merited disrepute. Sa
lay crouIched upon bundle of ill-smell
ing straw, asleep perhaps
"The first of the month";" grcwleC
the old bag. The kids bring the schoo
money. Two dollars each of 'em
Makes near three hundred dollars
Now's your chance. Send Sal up the
lightnin' rod, and have her drop the
rope-ladder Shorty gifts up an ther
well, let's take 4 drink first"
She placed a bottle of vile whisky to
her lips, and passed it to Dan, the
pickpocket, the least valiant of the lot.
Shorty took the bottle next, and, with
'here's luckin at ye," would have
drained it had not the old woman
snatched it from him. exclaiming:
"Hold on! No gittin' drunk afore-
hand"
Sal knew that she had to take part
in robbing the schoolmaster's monthly
receipts. She arose rapidly and at.
tempted to glide out of the room.
Shorty and Granny Smith grabbed her,
and the old beldam croaked:
"Was goin' to skip, was yer? ]
knowed it, We peacher. You're in love
with him. is yerP clean gone, heyP Was
gOin' to slide out an give us away, We
daisy? Thet's the thanks we gets fol-
feedin' We, We cat. I'll learn ye-"
"Hor on. Granny" said Dan, the
pickpocket, whose libations had stimu-
lated him into a species of judgment;
"stop beatin' an cursin' of her now;
when we've made the rifle kill her if il
suits We; nobody'll care
The old bag swore that she would,
and kicked the girl into the street. She
continued to thump and kick her until
the party arrived ut the academy; then
she gave her rope laSder. and. as she
ordered the child to climb up the light
ning-rod. Kissed:
"Git up to the window, opeE it and
fasten the hooks into the sill. If We
makes the littlest noise to give us away.
Shorty'll be up after yer and he'll cut
out yer lights and his'n too. Find the
money an nobody won't get hurt"
The child's hard face looked uneasy
in the moonlight. In trice she was
on the sill, had opened the window,
fastened the hooks, and dropped the
ladder. Shorty was with her in mo-
ment. They passed through the school
room into the teachers sleeping apart.
ment. Sal did not look at the man; the
excitement of the adventure made the
theft more attractive to her than all
others had been. She found the cash
box and exultingly clasped it to her
breast.
Thou shalt not steal-forgive those
who sin against thee" murmured the
teacher in his sleep.
Shorty capped his hand on Sails
mouth and stified the cry she was about
to litter He grasped her and quickly
dragged her from the room.
When they returned to the window
he released her.
"Yelp now. We pup, an I'll go back
an cut his throat.
Sal stood back as il to allow him to
des, end first Not much, We devil
you go first. l amt goin' to leave yer
here to yell.
Sal crawled toward the ground.
Shorty followed, the frail ladder swing
ing and threatening to break. Hurry
down, We cat" said Shorty, when they
were about midway between the win
dow and earth. Below stood GRANNY
Smith and Dan; above her Shorty, with
his brightly cleaning knife. Her time
had come; she would not steal from the
only being that had ever spoken kind
word to her. Before her intent could
be understood she had run up to Shorty.
the knife from his hand, and
cut one side of the rope ladder. Help!
thieves she screamed.
The instinct OF self-preserration
caused her to cling to the ladder, but
the weight being thrown on one hook
alone it tore through the wood of the
sill and-a groan, u Grassland Shorty
and Sal lay on the street. He shivered,
seemed to choke and gurgle Shorty
was before higher Judge than ever
passed sentence on him on earth.
The noise had attracted few belated
wayfarers, and a moment later the
schoolmaster came out with lantern.
What is the matter?" He saw the
bodies. Are they badly hurt?''
Some one answered: .-Shippeuville
thieves. Good for them. WIZ, here's
Looney Sal-got her deserts at last"
''Oh, no; am sure she did not in
tend any wrong" said the teacher, as
he lifted her little head. She looked
at him with a smile, and when his ex-
preston assured her that she would be
believed. gasped: "Teacher-I wouldn't
hook. nothin'-from-yer-yer is good
to me-
Don't speak. poor child. 1 know
you would not" He looked upon ner
suffering. quivering form.
I'D like ter go ter school," she
breathed. He took her in his arms and
carried her into the same classroom
INTO which she had intruded but few
lays before.
Had we not better send for sur
yeonG' asked one of the good-natured
lcighbors whom the noise had attracted.
''roo late. my friend" said the
eacher; 1.-THE end is approaching"
lain t-der-goin' be no
'ingin'?' Sal sighed. Immediately the
'oung mans voice. strong and full,
'ose in the hymn of praise that the class
lad sung the morning that Sal first