Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-06
DAILY, STORY
THE LITTLE ScHOOLMA'AM.
ICopyright, 1so7, by Mary McKeon.l

Copyright. 1907, by Mary McKeon-i
She was IL teacher in one of the puG> |
lie schools in the city, having "B'
class and she was referred to as tina.
little schoolma'am" oftener than IA
Miss Sutherland. She was hardly abovs |
eighteen years old, and there wer"
those who thought it curious that sucn !
n slip of a girl should have secured the :
position. There may have been a
pull somewhere, but as she was per-
fectly competent to fill the place no
one had any right to complain.
The little schoolmaam was one of
six teachers boarding with good Moth
er Williams. She had kept Il boarding
house for SchoOlteacherS for many
long years and had come to be regard
ed as mother to that class. She took
Miss Sutherland under her wing at
once. and no incident of note happened
for the first three months. Then dia-
mOnd ring belonging to one of the 9th
err teachers in the house was suddenly
missing Three more articles were
missed; then detective was called IN.
He was not ten minutes making up his
mind about it.
"rhe three robberieS were committed
by the same person, and that person is
your Susan he said. THE fact that
she has been with you for five years
and has never stolen anything before
makes no difference. Men live straight
lives for fifty years and then commit
crimes. Let me take her to the station
house, and l can make her confess
| within half an hour"
Mother Williams would not listen to
this She not only refused to make
complaint, but gave the teacher the
amount she had lost and kept Susan in
| her place. The robberies were, OF
course, subject of conversation
among the teachers, but that any one
should suspect another was thing
| impossible. 1t was Il month before
anything further happened. Then Il
| debt Of so was paid to Mrs. Williams
| in cash. As she had no bank account,
| she put the money in her trunk in her
room. In just week it was missing.
She couldn't say within three days of
| the time it was taken. 1t was there
all right of Monday, but on Thurs
| day she looked for it in vain. The
| door of her room was never locked,
and on Tuesday afternoon when she
went out to market she remembered
that she left the key in her trunk.
This last robbery made things look
serious indeed. Every one clamored
| for another detective to be called in.
and the girl Susan, who felt that she
| no
that she would not remain another
day unless a thorough investigation
| was made.
There are detectives and detectives.
The second one called. heard the par
| ticulars of all the robbericS and did
not lay any one under suspicion. He
said he would think it over and see
what could he done. He talked with
the servants and the teachers and
agreed with them that it was u myS-
ferrous case. Two weeks had gone
by and he had not been heard of again
when the little SchOolma'am took a
book in her hand of Il Saturday after
noon and went into one of the public
parks. She had been reading for half
an hour when man sat down on the
bench beside her. She looked up To
recognize the detective. He was 4
middle aged man. of fatherly look,
and. though engaged in detecting and
furnishing evil doors. 1t was evident
that he had Il kind heart. After few
casual remarks had passed he said:
Miss Sutherland, l have been wait
ing for the last three days to see YOU
alone. Had l called at the house and
had Il private conversation with you il
! might have been embarrassing"
but why should you want private
conversation with me?" she asked.
about those robberies, my dear.
T. have found where the ring and the
watch were pawned. l have the dates
= when you expressed the money t
+ your sister Mary"
+ Sir" exclaimed the girl, rising.
l "Sit down! child, and don't attract at
: tention. You can't be vicious by ma
i ture. You have not spent n cent o
the money on yourself. 1t has all gOn,
: to some one else. Tell me what actu
!. ated you. am here to pity more thai
i to accuse. | can't believe that yOl
J, realized the Nervousness of your of
3 lenses. Don't weep and draw atten
Z ton, but just tell me all about it,
3 The girl was white as a sheet ant
< trembling all over, but she fought bacl
3 her emotions and after a minute said
< 1T was all for Mary. Mary is N.
3 sister, and she is Il cripple. She hasn'
< had the chance that 1 and other girl
& have had, and l have always pitie
& her. If you knew her and knew hoy
8 good and patient she is you couldn'
5. help but love her Soon after | cam
& to teach school Il young man fell in low
8 with her. We are very poor but yer
g proud at home. I wanted this yOun
K man to marry Mary wanted 1t, oil
6 so bad, and II stole the things an
* money to buy her clothes. That wa
& it-that's all. You can take me to ia
x now. We are all ruined and Mar
& can't get married now"
< The detective sat there with his fac
{ in his hands and his eyes on the groun
& for long minutes, while the little schoo