Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1885-04-30
THE DEAD DARLING.
THE STRANGE POSSESSION or A
WANOERER IN MODERN CABYLON.
Scene in n Police Court-How the Heart
of "A Reckless Girl Grew Tender
Why She Kept the Photo
graph Album.
[st. Louis SUNDAY sayings.l

WAS the woman alone, sergeant"
Entirely alone"
And had NJ baggage OF any kindF
Nothing at all. sir except this" and the
rseant drew {. ON hi, pocket little photo
graph album, a cheap affair of gilt paper
and tin>el. soled and much worn.
Chief Harrigan took the album in his hand
and looked up into the face Of the girl who
stood quite composeily by the side OF the
officer VINO hal arrested her.
Were you acquainted with the character
of the houses you were visiting this morn
mgr
Perfectly"
"Why did you visit them"
Il wanted to get place to live
did you find onei'
"No / had no clothes that were nice, and
no baggage, and they didn't seem to want to
l take me"
What do you expect to do now"
The girl thought "A moment and then re-
4 piled unconcernedly: "Well, | suppose If /
amt put in Jail I'll look for house just as /
I did this morning-only, I'll go further down
I town, where they don't have to have jewelry
and silks to get in"
$50 you are alone in this city. with no
property but thisi' sail the chief, opening
\ the album and reading from a fly-leaf the
name, Alice NJ, B-ville. Ills"
Yes"
/ And if We don't lock you up you propoe
to 90 into house of bad reputation"
"Yes lrataer deiiantlyD
The chief slowly turned over the pages Of
the little album, ani the little girl watched
him curiously. She was not bad-loOkns
girl, though by no means handsome. Her
iace shovel, unmstakably, exposure 10 ths
4. n H.
work. anl outdoor work at that Sac had
regular features and dark eyes Mt mex
pressive; but her face lacke ligat. as if it
had been in the shadow of some sorrow or cru
city, or both As she WATCHED the chief a
/ feeling OF passive recxlessness Sesms ID ex-
press itself upon it, She acted as il the case
in hand was the case OF some other person,
and "a il she was only spectator "a what
was or might be done
why did you leave homer asked the
chief at length.
Poor Work heavy. Father beats me-
she replied, laconically; and, pulling up the
sleeve Of the cheap garment she wore, she
1 showed the marks of heavy lashings, appa-
rently from a cowhide.
as this your father" asked the chief,
pointing TO the first picture in the album.
The girl looked at il carelessly and nodded
her head. IL was the picture of decent
seeming man, with a heavy black beard and
/ looking like an ordinary farmer dressed for q
visit 10 town.
you ran away from himP
The girl nodded again.
"Who is this" asked the chief. turning
leaf in the album and pointing to the picture
Of comely woman of middle age
MY mother
"You wanted TO run away from her too"
Yes" said the girl in a steady voice, and
looking very calmly into the face OF the Off
cial "She only cared Tor Dick. Dick was
my brother, older than /. She just cared
for him and sent him u school, then father
would make me do the work outside the
house. AMI would beat me if | wanted to 60
in and rest"
Her voice. as she spoke, betrayed neither
anger nor resentment She spoke rs if she
wre stating facts regarding some other per-
| son.
"And who is thsi" asked the chief, point
ing TO the picture opposite that Of the
| woman.
That is Dick He is always at school"
she said, still indifferently.
Il don't see why you should have brought
this album along with you, at all, >" said the
oflicial, turning another page. The girl
made no reply
/ And who is this,7 he continued, looking
at the picture OF a little girl about II years
/ o.i
\ For the first time the prisoners voice
trembled slightly. She stepped up near the
chair where the chief sat and looked down
at the picture. The hardness had gone out
/ of her voice when she said: Bessie my SIS
ter
"And this he continued kindly, looking
at the picture opposite.
Tner was no hnswer
"Who is this little body.' he asked again,
looking at the baby face in the picture.
Still no answer.
The chief looked up into the plain features
Of che country girl Her eyes were swim
ming with tears.
1Can't you tell me who she is, he contin-
ued, his voice growing wonderfully gentle
J for him.
THAT is-that was-was-was-w my
darling, God bless her." and sobbing as if
her heart would break she fell ON her knees
let her cry" said the old sergeant at
may save her. and God knows we can't"
"Was she your sisterr asked the chief in
| few moments.
"Oh. can't you telli Don't you knowi
Don't you see, She was my darling, ana
| she died with her arms around my neck"
The girl buried her face in her hands, and
her sobs grew more violent
The chief knew now why she kept the lit
/ tie album, when all else had been taken
| from her.
As lie sei her in his own convenyance TO
/ that retreat where unfortunate women are
kindly and gently cared for, he was thinking
/ that perhaps in the love of her mother heart
I for her dead babe there was something that