Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-08-18
Kissing Susan Jones

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AT the age of twelve / fell violently
in love with Susan Jones.
Susan was no kind of a girl. On the
contrary, her age was almost twenty
and her weight about 80 pounds. Had
Susan been careless enough to sit down
on me l should have been mashed as
fiat as a single.
Heavens, how l loved that girl! |
lost my appetite and my sleep over 1t,
and the doctor who was summoned
looked at my tongue and sagely shook
his head and said that was going into
a decline. Being older and more of her,
Susan didn't have it quite so bad, but
it was limited throughout the school
that she was eating chalk to make her
look pale.
At the beginning of winter a man
who called himself Professor Swift
came along and opened a writing aid
singing school combined. Susan and
were among his pupils.
The seed of jealousy was planted IN
my breast. was forced to observe
that the professor was flirting with the
idol of my heart. AS we walked home
together l charged her with 1t, and she
made indignant denial. l simply call
ed her false and told her to go to grass
and when she sank down in a snow
drift and pretended to faint away |
walked on and left her to get frostbit-
ten toes. The next night the professor
escorted her home.
After three or four days l thought
Susan showed signs of relenting and
though the professor went home with
her from the school l tagged along aft
er, in hopes she might speak to me.
She didn't, however, but when the
writing master left her on the doorstep
l saw him deliberately kiss her.
thought she also kissed in return and
was so furious that the white snow
looked red to me.
HarperSville was peaceful, quiet
village. Tramps and crime were un-
known. One night householder was
robbed Of 800 in cash. The next night
the professor, who was boarding with
a widow, was robbed of $50, or claimed
to have been. Then followed the rob-
berry of two stores and two other
houses and, following them, that Of the
postoftice.
The robber had entered the postofice
by a side window and had left his
tracks in the snow. was among those
who saw these tracks, and took notice
that the sole of one of the shoes had
patch on it. There are people who
walk in a manner to wear a small hole
through the ball Of the sole, and this
was a case Of it.
Saying nothing of my discovery to
citizens or constable, | sought out the
cobbler, and in careless way asked If
he had repaired shoe in that fashion.
He had, and for the writing master.
That evening, for 1 still attended his
classes, l observed his shoes and found
that he was wearing one with patch
on the sole.
He had been received into the best
families Of the village, and he had Of
fered reward for the robbers, and n
would not do for me- to make a mis-
take. l must watch until / had better
proofs.
There were no more robberies for
week. Then l followed the professor
and Susan to her house after the close
Of the classes and again saw him kiss
her. / was quite sure this time that
she kissed in return, and l drew in my
breath with a hiss and vowed venge-
ance Of the most fearful kind.
When the professor left her he went
to his lodgings, but had feeling that
be would reappear at later hour. 1t
was not a cold night, and l hung
around the streets until Midnight. At
that hour caught sight of skulker
and followed after. / followed him to
the wooden mills and saw him gain en-
trance with the aid of a skeleton key.
1t was the night before the weekly pay
day at the mills, and there would be
several hundred dollars in money in the
cid safe.
Using the utmost caution, l crept up
10 the mills and through a window
saw the marauder, whoever he was,
working away at the safe. Then
withdrew and made haste to he house
Of the village constable.
When he had been routed out he
awoke two or three other mel, and in
a few minutes we were at tie mills.
The man inside had made god use OF
his time. The safe opened with a key,
and he had brought a key to fit. He
bundled up the bills and thrust them
into his overcoat pocket and was leav-
ing the place when we arrived
Realizing that he was discovered, he
leaped from the platform and attempt
ed to pass me. Had he Accomplished
this he might have outdistanGd the
men, but as he passed stuck tut my
foot, and down he came, and beore he
could rise the men were upol him
Only then were any of us sure hat It
was the professor. He had on IN Old