Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-11-21
The Argus Daily Short Story
The Tutor-By Richard Wayne.
Copyrighted. 1910. by Associated Literary Press

Most young men go to college with
out any fixed life plan before them
What they will do with their educa
ton they put off deciding until after
they get it. l was one Of these. J
was a good classical scholar and one Of
the honor men of my class. The clos
ing days of my college life were vert
pleasant and very exciting. l deliv
cred the salutatory-in Latin-hayine
the satisfaction of being considered
a very learned young man.
l went home with the plaudits Of
my admirers ringing in my ears. But
there found a contrasting quiet. The
excitement had all died out. and J
found myself face TO face with the
problem of career. Many young meT
who take honors in college become
peda gogues. l had no such inclination
nor did l care for a profession of any
kind / preferred a stirring life. J
went TO the city. hunted for a business
position and found one with house
doing a commission business whose
clientele was in South and Central
America.
for about a years when some one was
needed to go to Honduras to collect a
debt owing the firm. ! offered TO go
My offer was accepted, and within o
few weeks l found myself in the coun
try of the rubber tree.
While collecting the debt I was ap
preached by some men who told me
that they were plotting to seize the
government. They persuaded me &c
join them. They were defeated. /.
with others, was captured in arms
and thrown into prison. The same
evening we were told that we would
all be garroted the next morning.
When at daylight an officer entered
the room where we were confined to
take US out to execution he said &c
me:
II understand that you are an edu
Gated man. Am / correct?
Il consider myself a good classical
scholar l replied.
Every WELL Then. turning to a sub
ordinate. he said:
Take him to his excellency."
was led to the presidents house
and told to wait till called for. About
:
ident's private office
what do you know about the elias
sics?" he asked.
told him that I was a college grad
uate and had at commencement deliv'
cred an grafton in Latin.
You're just what | want" he said.
"A1y son wishes to enter an American
college next year and needs a tutor.
If you will fit him for the entrance
examinations l will pardon you for
your stupid completely with these ras-
Gals who have sought to put them
selves in my place. But understand
your sentence is only suspended. You
will come into my family and be one
of us. Any depression from straight
path and you will suffer under your
sentence for treason. Say nothing to
any one of your connection with trail
tors
1 did not understand what he meant
by "any depression" till I arrived at
his house and for the first time saw
that he had daughter at that tender
age when girls are liable to fall in love
with any presentable man they hap
pen to be thrown in with. Donna Mar
guerita was nineteen and of course a
Spanish type. 1t was plain that I had
been warned against making love to
her.
I was introduced into the family by
President Sanchez as a college gradu-
ate he had imported from the north to
tutor his son Pedro. sixteen years old.
Sonora Sanchez was probably the only
person in the house that knew I was
under sentence of death.
/ have a theory that we only enjoy
by contrast. Another way Of putting
1t is, "Stolen fruit is the sweetest"
The president made a great mistake
in warning me. To a young man Of
twenty-three being forbidden under
penalty of death to make love to a
young girl is a terrible temptation.
Had Senior Sanchez made no such
threat I might have lived in the same
house with his daughter and not trans
crossed. As 1t was / was tortured
with a terrible desire to win her and
with terrible fear of the garrote if 1
did
Whatever were my feelings, dared
not show them even to the young lady