Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-06-06
TRAMP'S STORY.
He Tells of his Capture by n Piueky Little
Hoosier School-M a'am.

He Tells of his Capture by n Piucky Little
Hoosier Sciool-Ma'am.
"Speakin' of the rural regions" said
an old chap at the end of a bar, who had
trouble in raising glass to his mouth
with his right arm. Il might be in
dooced to relate leetle adventure
which happened to me in Injiany last
summer"
He was earnestly advised 10 free his
conscience of it, burdens, and he con-
tinued:
..Well, | hac been hangin' around
indianapolis for several weeks, and
finally the Police Judge advised me to
leave town. Lnever arg with Police
Judge When they come right down
to fatherly advice accept it and git. |
left the town inside of two hours, and
it didn't take me over three hours to
reach mile post ten miles away.
About four o'clock in the afternoon, as
| was restin' beside the highway, 4
school-ma am passed She was chip
per leetle body, weighing about ninety
pounds, and white-faced, and when |
sort o riz up TO ak her if she didn {
have bite to eat in her basket, she ut
tered womanish yelp and started OFF
on dead run. | didn't hev my swal-
ler-tail coat and standin' collar on that
day, and | guess she took me fur n
tramp
Now, gents, when Teller is ragged,
hungry and out o rhino, what does he
do? He makes a break, in course. L
walks along fur about mile, and when
| comes to farmhouse with n look of
comfort about it, | stops in and asks If
a poor man who has lost his hull family
in the great Chicago fire can git bite to
eat, to brace him up as he journeys to-
ward the settin' sun. The motherly
old soul of farmers wife would hev
set out n squar' meal fur me, but that
leetle school am was there to pre-
vent. I heard EN- whisperin' together
in the next room, and by and by the
old lady came back and give me the
bounce. \ tramp a. has belonged to
the purfesh fur fifteen years hadn
orter fire up over SIGH Il trifIe as that.
but il hit me like blow below the
belt. and determined on revenge.
Il went into the orchard and stole
some apples, and then laid around to
watch. / found out afore dark that the
farmer was an old man. and that there
was only three of EN- in the house.
Long huff fore the lights were out
had ranged with myself to break in.
There was a chance of plumber, and
intended to scare that leetle school
ma am out of a years growth. don I
say as | would hev laid hands on her,
but that very thing might hev happened.
you know.
"Well, about half an hour afore mid
night begins operations by creepin' up
to the back door IL was shut. but not
locked, and crept in. struck ligh;
and found my way TO the pantry
There was cold meat. pumpkin pie and
bread and butter, and il took me a good
half hour 10 fill up. I might have gone
out then, but wanted something else.
There was nobody sleepin down stairs,
and after pocketin' a watch | crept up
stairs into the old folks bedroom
They was slecpin' "a sound as you
please, and the moon shinin in furn'
ished all the light needed. i went
through bureau and got wallet. and
| was searchin' the old mans pants wher
| heard a step at the door and voice
cried out: Surrender or I'll shoot,
1t was that leetle school-ma am
She stood in the door in her nigh
dress, revolver pointed fun at me
and | could sec hereyes blaze. made
| rush TO seize her. when "crack
crack went the revolver. and one
bullet struck me in the right shoulder
and another in the side went dowr
as if shot through the head. and NJ
| Jumps the old man and piles on 90 me
| like ton Of brick The little school
| ma am went down stairs after rop'
and then helped tie me hand and foot
More'n that, she kept guard over M
while the old man rode off for an OIL
Ger. and every time | fetched a groal
she had that revolver ready to shoot.
| I'm conclusion. gents, permit me q
remark that the court give me fiy
| years fur that little affair. while tn
| plucky leetle schOol-ma am received
public purse Of s2O0. Sometimes ~
felt as IL it was nv dooty to hunt he
up and marry her ~ y Sun.