Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1886-08-05

Isl. Louis sunday saNinSs.i
WAS the woman alone, sergeant
"Entrely alone"
And had No baggage Of aRy kinlr
N thing at all, sir, except this, -, and the
ser ,eant drew from his pocket q little photo
graph album, cheap affair Of gilt paper
and tn.el, soiled and muci worn
Chief Harrigan took the album in his hani
aud looksi up INTO the face OF tho giri who
stnol quite composeily by the sid, OF the
officer who hal arrsste her
"Were you acquainted with tho character
of the houses you were visiting this mora.
in-f ~
Perfectly"
"'Nhy did you visit them"
Il wanted to get place 10 live,%
"D.d you find onel
"No. had no clothes that were nire, and
no baggage, AMI they didn't seem to want to
take me-" ..--. ....
"What DO you expect TO do nbwT'
The girl thought u moment and then re-
piled unconcernedly; swell l supposs II
amt put in Jail I'll look for house just as
did this morning-only, I'll GO further down
town, where they don't have 70 have jewelry
and silks to get in"
80 you are alone in this city. with no
property but thisl' sail the chief, opening
the album and read ing from a fiy-leaf the
name, "Alice NJ. B-ville. Ills"
"Yes"
"And If we don't lock you up you r-opo
70 go into a house of bal reputation
yes trather dsiantlyD
The chief Il 'wly turnel over the plg,s Of
the Little album, ant the little girl watched
him cGriously She was not a bad lookn
girl, though by no means handsom, Her
face showed, Enthusiastically, exposure to tho
weather. and her han Is betok med hard
work, AM utdoor work at that sac had
regular features and dark eyes not inek-
pre- 'sive; but her face lackel light. as IL it
had been in the shadow OF some sorrow or cru
city, or both As she watched the chief q
feeling Of passive rscklessnesS seems TO ex-
press itself upon it. She acted as IL the case
in hand was the case Of Spms other per on,
and as /: sho was only q spectator TO what
was or might be done.
why did you leavs home%. asked the
chief at length.
poor. Work heavy Fati.sr beats me-
she replied, laconically; and, pulling up the
sleeve Cf the cheao garment she wore. she
showed the mark' Of heavy lashings, ap2l-
rently from a cowhide.
"is this your father" asked the chief,
pointing to the first picture in the album
The girl looked at 1t careleSsly and nodded
her heal. II was the p.csure Of decent
seeming man, with heavy black beard and
| booking ike an ordinary farmer dress.i for a
| visit to town.
SYou ran away from himir
| The girl nodded again.
! who is thiSr ASKED the chief turning q
! leof in ths album ani pDiiting TO the picture
Of a comely woman Of middle age.
MY mother"
You wanted to run awHy from her too"
YES sail the girl in steady voice, AMI
looking very calmly into the fac, of the Off
cial "She only csrsd for Dick. Dick wa,
my brother, older than l. She Just carad
for him and sent him IN school, then father
would make me do the work outside the
house, and would beat me IL | wanted 10 go
in and rast."
Her voice, as she spok,. betrayed Mother
anger nor resentment She spoke n il she
W re stating facts regarding some other per-
son.
"Anl who Is this!r asked the chief. point.
ing to ths picture opposite that of the
w,mln.
That is Dick II, f. always at school,"
she said still indiiterently.
II don't see why yoa should have brought
this album along with you, at ALL said the
'fi .ial turning another page. Tho girl
made no reply.
"Apd WIN is thi~i- he continued, looking
at the picture of little girl about " years
old " ''''
For the first time the prisoners voics
trembled slightly. She steppel up near the
chair where the chief sat AMI looked down
at the picture. The hardness had gone out
CT her voice when she sail; Bessie MY SIS
ter"
"And this he continued kindly, looking
at the picture opposite.
There was no hnswsr.
"Who is this little body'' he asked again,
looking at the baby fice in tie picturs.
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" no contin-
ned, his voice growing wonderfully gentle
for him.
"That is-that was-was--was- was my
darling, God bless her" and sobbing as If
her heart would tresk she fell ON her knees.
LOT her cry said the old sergeant at
may save her, and God knows we can't
"Was she your sisterf' asked the chief In
a few moments
"Oh, can't you teiR Don't you knowi
Don't you sect She was my darling, ani
she died with her arms around my neck"
The girl buriel her face in her han Is, and
her sobs grew more violent
The chief knew now why she kept the liz.
tie album, when all else had been tasen
from her.
As he sent her il his own convenyancs to
that retreat where unfortunate women ars
kindly and gently cared for, hs wa thinking
that perhaps in the love Of her mother -hsart
for her dead babe there was something that
made her to- good for the streets, tha.
might reteom her.