Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 March 1903 — HER SOURCE OF WEALTH. [ARTICLE]

HER SOURCE OF WEALTH.

W hat the Investigations of an Inquiring Teacher Brought to Light. The teacher who had charge of the playroom at recess consulted her watch and found that there were still five minutes in which to cultivate the acquaintance of the odd little group of girls who stood apart from the devotees of “rlng-a-rosy” and “jaekstones” and gossiped among themselves with as keen a sense of enjoyment as might have been experienced by their mothers had they been similarly employed. Her interest deepened to amusement when she found that the topic under discussion was tiie comparative riches of their respective parents. Olga, whose clear pink and white complexion bespoke her German origin, was presenting a strong claim for first place as class plutocrat. With swelling voice she told how she had $34.83 in the bank in her own name. Furthermore, her mother had never withdrawn one cent since she had first begun to deposit. With level accents she asked:' “How could my mother do that, yet, if we were not rich, once?” Neither of her opponents were prepared to offer any opposition to her claim, but Rita proceeded to boom the stock of her own family. “I don't know," she said (with more energy than grammar), “if wo are as rich as youse, but my father owns three lots in Jersey and my brother’s got a good job down in the courthouse.” As this piece of information was impartially distributed tho face of Annie was illumined by a light from within. She was the sole member of the group who had as yet furnished no verbal assurance of prosperity; and, looking at her ill-clad form and thin little face, the teacher found herself wondering on what possible score Annie could claim kinship with her purse-proud friends. Apparently Annie’s clew hnd been furnished by Rita when she boasted of her brother’s “good Job In the courthouse,” for she spoke exultantly: “Oh, you ain’t the only one. My papa’s got an awful good job in the courthouse, too.” “Why. Annie,” said the teacher, noting afresh the child's evident poverty. “What does your papa do In the courthouse?” Annie met the teacher's gaze with eyes singularly truthful and confiding. "I don’t know just what he does, teacher,” she returned, "but he stole $8 off a lady, an’ she got him a Job in the courthouse for six months.” With a sudden tightening of the muscles of the throat the teacher realized that ia this Instance the county courthouse and the county Jail were under one roof.—New York Times.