Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-11-10
Evening Story
AN AMATEUR KIDNAPPING.
BY Jane Osborn.
1918, by the Mcclure News,
paper Syndicate.


It was glorious day in May and
there was half-holiday not listed on
| the curriculum of Wilton College. 1t
| took the form of a wholesale desertiOn
from the classroom on the part of the
students, and the instructors gladly &C
cepted the situation. The fact was
there was a counter attraction in the
town against which the most brilliant
lecturer could not hope to exert draw
ing power.
The "hikers were coming-they were
due in the college inn for luncheon and
were booked to speak on the campus
at 2. Every one was interested, and
the students displayed unabashed and
open minded interest in what they re-
garded as the latest brand of freak.
They had gathered around the steps
of the college hall, where the much
herealded Gen. Lollabelle Proctor was
to deliver her harangue. They were
ready with all their old cheers and a
few new ones, invented especially for
the occasion. If Gen. Lollabelle had
been less heated and little bit more
familiar with the psychology of college
men the trouble would never have be-
gun. In the first place, she mistook
the we'll meaning cheers for a new var
iety of taunt, and Herewith began to
berate men in general, and college
men in particular, in a way that no
loyal son of Wilton college could en-
dure.
Besides this, the day was one OF
those first warm days that sets the
blood keen to do things out of the Or
binary. Gen. Lollabelle was allowed to
finish her speech, and then low rum
BILE went through the ranks of stu
dents.
Let's kidnap her. some one said,
and few enthusiasts gathered togeth-
er TO lay plans. 1t was soon decided
that the general herself was not worth
kidnapping, and when some one said
something about kidnapping the good
lockers" every one of the students re-
called the figure of really pretty
young member of the party, who, in
spite of her travel-stained short skirt,
SLOUGH hat, stout shoes, alpine STICK
and knapsack, had struck thrill ct ad-
miration into the breasts of more than
one of the Unlocking students.
asked the ringleader.
It was decided to use an automobile.
Luckily enough Saundy Brannon. SEN
ior, happened to be rounding corner
of the campus road. He had apparent
ly not been present for the great
event, and seemed rather Indifferent to
the whole plan when he was hailed and
told what he was expected to do. The
fact was Saundy Brannon had been
"out of sorts" for several months,
though no one volunteered an explain
alton
He was not enthusiastic about the
scheme, but he offered no objections to
letting his car be used for the kidnap-
ping and also agreed to run it, If ne
didn't have to help in handling the
victim. The mixers were to return
to the inn for an early supper and we're
to resume their march afterward,
reaching the next town before time for
retiring.
Fortunately for the plans of the
would-he kidnappers, the "goodlooker'
namely, Miss Flora Maynard was walk
ing at the rear of the line, several feet
from any of her companions. This was
because, in spite of her stout boots and
Alpine stick and the rest she had had
on the campus, Miss Flora Maynard
was weary and longed to end her jour
ney
The shadows were settling along the
narrow hedge-lined road through which
the girls were passing. Gen. Lollaoelle
was carrying lantern, but its rays
failed to throw it's light on the path OF
Miss Flora She was naturally little
afraid of the dark and she was wishing
that she had lantern OF her own,
when she heard rustic in the hedge.
She SHE'D to the other side only to feel
a strong hand resting on her shoulder
and looking around, fairly fell into the
arms of tall young man, who deity
but rather gently proceeded to stif1e
her attempted shrek with large out
spread hand.
make no sound and we will spare
you" she heard one of the men say,
as they proceeded to carry her through
the hedge. "You have been chosen our
victim for reasons which we cannot rs
veal to you We are the agents of the
'Amalgamated Organization of Gentle
men Anti-Suffragettes.' They carried
her weary body through the hedge,
over a newly planted cornfield to the
next lane, where an automobile was in
readiness, surrounded by a group of
rather agreeable loking ruffians. She
was gently tucked into the back seat.
Saundy did not look at the girl, but
he beard hiswssociates talking to her.
"Will you rehounce suffrage and all Of
its wicked ways?" he heard the spokes-
man asking her in mock solemnity,
The plan was rather petering out.
No one knew exactly what to do with
the young lady. One of the college boys
came running up the road with news
that the dean of the college was get
ting into his automobile to come to the
scene of the kidnapping. In a flash the
dozen or so students fled. leaving the
girl in the tonneau and Sandy at the
wheel. His first instinct was to escape
too, but then the thought that he would
have to claim the car eventually and
something in the girls voice made him
stay He got out and cranked the car
that he couldn't drive
across lots to take the victim back to
her party, so he would have to drive
with all Sneed three miles further tO