Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-03-21

INo4cn0Es norman SCHOOL 8rauuate
"a woman OF good family with fin,
connections. now sharing IodgingI
with women OF the street, negresses
-dopes" and other derelicts In the
county Jail, has to tell. NJ
| my father is Judge N. P. Laru'
of Abilene. Kan. / was born Their,
on the old Larue homestead. which
now Joins the city limits of Abilene
My brother Is county attorney o
Saline county. and my uncle 4
county superintendent OF public In
struction in Dickinson county. I'm
"A Kansan through and through, ant
my people are all we'll known among
the early settlers.
II always wanted to be a schoo
teacher, so my father sent me Il
normal, l have taught all ovel
Kansas and in Colorado. too, fol
after ] married last April my hus
band and / decided to take up I
homestead. With his mother and
father we came in wagons from
Goodland. their home, to Colorado
and took up homesteads near Col
orado Springs.
IL taught school near our home
stead and l was to get $65 instead
OF sos this coming term II taught
high school branches. l couldn't ac-
cept the place, however, for l am
soon to be mother.
"Well, this trouble has come upon
us, and believe me that $50 will
bring in the highest interest of any
like It in the world.
"It isn't true" protested Mrs.
Stewart, that my family has been
dragged into the mire. OF course
/ feel this shame terribly, but my
people, as well as my husbands
folks, are all standing by me and
believe me innocent.
THE thing that bothers me SO is
the fact that in my present condi-
ton l am kept in this environment.
You see, l expect to be a mother
in May.
I'm not worrying about myself
except that know 1t Is bad for me
to be in Jail at this time, but l feel
confident that l will soon be releas-
ed"
One point in the stories of her
recent arrest that annoys her is the
fact that she was using an assumed
name.
Stewart is my name and Stewart
is the name under which was ar
rested" she said decidedly. II can't
understand why people call me
bond jumper and the user Of a diff
ferent name. They even say when
l was arrested l was living with
my husband and 14tyearlold son.
Why, haven't son at all. That
boy is my husbands brother"
The main point of Mrs. Olivia
Stewards story, however, she did not
seenfrV0 realize. IL was contained
in the few words inadvertently spok-
en-, or else spoken with a keener
reconciliation than the simpleness
Of her manner would indicate-con-
corning that spirit of sacrifice.
If this Kansas school ma'am, who
hasFcombined with teaching the daily
toll of the homestead, where, in adj
dition to her husband and his bro
Their, she cooked for and looked af-
ter two boarders, is a woman shield
ing another, taking on herself the
crime, the disgrace, the suffering of
in order that the
eventual happiness OF two human
beings may reach a higher standard,
there are indeed depths of feeling
coursing beneath her red sweater
and poor clothing that makes her
an heroic figure.
Legend. tradition and literature
that of the stage-tells Of
such heroines, but the truth is we
meet them but seldom in everyday
life.
The federal authorities may pune
lure the bubble of romance with the
fine inquisitorial needle Of the law.
But II Olivia Stewards reluctant lips
told the truth about her sacrifice,
she is indeed a woman whose curving
red lips and heavily dashed eyes
telling Of a warm and
amorous nature--would make any
for one she loved.