The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-11-03

had known down in the state. Sally
vas az school, and before the little
woman left The house she gathered up
tho few pieces Of icwelry belonging
70 herself and her daughter and also
the sil'erwaro and put il away.
i must hide II IN some place where
The burglars will NOT be able to find
IT," she said to herself a. she locked
about the little fat.
Finally her eyes alighted on the
cory corner. That was inst the place
she thought So she rut the stun IN
der the numerous sofa pillows and
after locking all the doors and win
dpos went away.
Wbsn she came home she founC
come one had been in the house. Tho
dfess.- drawers were open and there
were other evidences that some one
bad been through the fiat hurriedly
Trembling in every limb, she hurried
10 the sideb0ard TO see if the silver
was there It was gone. Then she
rushed to the dresser to ind the jewel
ry. and 1t had vanished. The poor
little woman had forgotten that she
had put II safely away before she left
the fiat and she was In a terrible state
when her daughter arrived.
oh, Sally. we've been robbed: we've
been robbed" she walled, as she ran
sobbing into the arms Of the young
teacher.
Are you sure. mother?" asked the
girl, soothIngIy. is there anything
missing"
The knives and forks and spoons
are all gone, and the brooch your ia
Their gave me when we were married
is also gone. Oh. dear, and | thought
so much Of it, too. and we've nothing |
left but wooden-handled knives and
and your pretty ruby ring is
| wish we had never come to
this town, | know We will all he killed
IN beds some night and everything
have will be stolen from US"
But, mother, | was home this after
! came after some examination
| had forgotten and / was in
such a hurry that | left the dresser
drawers open, Are you sure you didn't
hide the s~ilveTware before you went
away"
And then the little mother rcmem
5cred, She hurried to the coy corner.
and, turning over the pillows. found
he stun just where she had placed
It.
Sally threw her arms about her
mother and kissed her tenderly and
hat was all.
These two false alarms served to in.
'rcase Sally's courage. She began to
Eel quite brave and imagined herself
'eady for any emergency, but little
hought how soon her new-found cour-
age would be put to the test.
1t was a few days after the last scare
hat she was detained at the school
louse much later than usual in order
@ make out certain papers due al the
md of the week,
II was dusk an9 getting nearly dark
when she left the sch0olhouse with her
little handbag on her arm. She walked
)riskly to the car line, for she decided
hat it would not be safe to walk home
1t that hour o. the night.
She had to wait some time for A
ar, for it was al that time Of the
night when all Chicago seems to be
climbing onto the street cars. and those
hat passed where she stood on the
'otner were packed from top 10 bot
ON and people were sticking all over
he outside like burs to a tramp's coat
She waited aud waited, thinking she
might discover a car in which she
find a seat, as she was tired and
lid not like the idea of hanging to a
strap all the rough way home.
She was thinking of the days work
and a little bit worried over one of nor
pupils who did not seem TO be doing
Just as she thought he ought, SO she
lid not think so much about the car
she might have under other circum-
But she was rudely awakened from
her preoccnpation by a gruff voice:
Il will trouble you for your pocket.
book, were the startling words she
heard.
She started violently and turned to
ook into the eyes of a roughly dressed
man, She glanced about to see if there
was anyone near to whom she might
urn for assistance, but the streets for
he moment were deserted. The man +
had evidently been waiting for the
tme when she would be alone before
he approached her.
Seeing il was useless 10 make an
Sally handed him the handbag,
md as she did so looked up at him
Quivering lips and said;
But won't you please let ME have
ar fare. sir?"
The rorgh man looked down into her
pretty blue eyes and his face softened
Sure, here's a quarter" and he dug
in his pocket and brousht ont
bright silver coin.
just then a car stopped and Sally
rot aboard, The conductor gave the
,ignal and she was whirled away out
VI danger from the hold-up man.
"And just think, she told her moth.
r. as she related her experience, he
rave me a quarter, and there only
nickel in my pocketbook. "-Chicaqo
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