The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-02-25
THE LITTLE SCHOOLMA,AM.

''Speakin' of the rural regions" said
an old chap at the end of bar, who
had trouble IN raising n glass of beer to
his mouth with his right arm, Il might
be indooced to relate leetle adventure
which happened to me in Injiauy.n
He was earnestly advised TO free his
conscience OF its burdens. and he con-
tinued:
''Well, had been hangin around In
dianapolis for several weeks. and finally
the police Judge advised me TO leave
town. | never argy 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 a
mile-post ten miles away. About 4
o'clock in the afternoon, as was restin'
beside the highway, schoolma am
passed. She was a clipper leetle body,
weighin' about ninety pounds, and
white-faced, and when | sort O. riz up
to AK her if she didn't have bite to eat
In her basket she uttered womanish
yelp and started off on dead run. L
didn't hev my swaller-tail coat and
standin' collar on that day, and / Guess
she took me fur a tramp
"Now, gents, when a feller is ragged,
hungry, and out o rhino, what does he
doP He makes break, in course. L
walks along fur about mile, and when
1 comes to a farmhouse with a !Ook of
comfort about it | stops in and asks if n
poor man who has lost his huh family
in the great Chicago fire can git bite
to eat, to brace him up as he journeys
toward the settin' sun. The motherly
old soul of farmers wife would hev set
out square meal for me, but nat leetle
schoolma am was there to prevent
heard 'em whisperin' together in the
next room, and by and by the old lady
came back and give me the bounce A
tramp as has belonged to the purfesh fur
fifteen years hadn't orter fire up over
sich a triile as that, but it hit me like
a blow below the belt, and determined
on revenge.
Il went into the orchard and stole
some apples, and then laid around to
watch. | found ont afore dark that the
farmer was an old man, and that there
was only three of 'em in the house.
Long 'nuf fore the lights were out |
had arranged with myself to break in.
There was chance of plunder, and |
intended to scare that leetle schoolma'am
out of years growth | don't say as I
would hev laid hands on her, but that
very thing might hev happened, you
know.
''Well, about half an hour after mid
night | begins operations by creepin'
up to the back door, 1t was shut, but
not locked, and | crept in, struck a
light, and found my way to the pantry.
There was cold meat, pumpkin pie, and
bread and butter, and it took me a good
half an hour to fill up. | might hey
got out then, but | wanted somethin'
else. There was nobody sleepin' down.
stairs, and after pocketin a watch I
crept upstairs into the old folks bed
room. They was sleepin' as sound as
you please, and the moon shinin' in
furnished all the light needed | went
through bureau and got wallet, and
was searchin' the old mans pants.
when l heard a step at the door an q
voice cried out: Surrender or I'll shootn
lit was that leetle schoolma' am. She
stood in the door in her night-dress, a
revolver pointed full at me, and | could
see her eyes blaze. | made rush to
seize her, when crack! crack! went the
revolver, and one bullet struck me in
the right shoulder ana another in the
side. | went down as if shot through
the head, and up jumps the old man
and piles on to me like a ton of brick.
The little schooima' am went down.
stairs after a rope, and then helped tie
me hand and foot. More'n that, she
kept guard over me while the old man
went off for an officer, and every time
l fetched a groan she had that revolver
ready to shoot
''ln conclusion, gents, permit me to
remark that the court give me five
years for that little affair, while the
plucky leetle schoolma am received a
public purse of 5000. Sometimes I've
felt as if it was my dooty to hunt her
up and marry her. "-Neao York San.