Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-04-08

courtroom listening to the horrible
details Of the case, she does not look
like . girl who, except in moments OF
frenzy, would be confidential about
such an affair. She is not so pityful
as most feminine culprits OF refine
ment are. She is strong and self-sup-
pressed indeed, there is that about
her which wildly recalls the hard
despair OF Hetty, the child-murderess
in Adam Bede. In that instance, ficti-
tious though it was, the novelist led the
reader step by step along the unior
tunate's downward way. 1t is inn.
possible, in fact, for any one to read
the story and not to understand the
vanity, the weakness, and the subse-
auent madness which drove the
wretched creature to kill the, hapless
babe, which she believed was the
only evidence of her guilt. But there
| is no such faithful historian to stand
by Hattie Woolsteen, and with the
touch of an immortal genius to dissect
her character and motives, and to
point out the temptations by which
she was beset. There is hideous-
ness, too, about the crime OF which
she is accused which awakens
repulsion and congeals sympathy. If
she had in the heat of passion
killed the man, as it is believed, and
had not sought to hide the deed by
the burning of the body in the barn,
the public would not gaze upon her
as coldly as it does; for although
nothing can ever wash from a
woman's hands the traces OF human
blood, yet there are circumstances
which can palliate her offenses. 1t is
| difficult, too, for any one to associate
women and cruelty that is peIpe-
trated cruelty together; for in theil
original conditions the antipodes are
not farther apart. But for a wife
or maiden who has always
lived peacefully under the shad.
ow # home and conventionality
it is well nigh impossible to realize
the black side OF which femininity is
apable. Yet in every condition O
life, the world is against woman
while underlying the inherent purity
and delicacy and lovliness of her ma
ture, there is oftimes unsuspected
ite:entailed upon her purchance
in a direct or an indirect line, from
some dissipated or reckless ancestor.
Moreover, love, which is but the frac'
tional part of mans world, is the
sum total of woman's world; unless
like him, she has been endowed with
an absorbing vocation, and then she
too looks at Cupid out OF the corners ol
her eyes. But when thereis one woman
who is sentimental in part there are
millions of women who are sentiment
al in every fibre OF their beings. Sub
mission and humility are usually the
prevailing traits of their devotion, but
there are occasional women whose
pride overbalances their affection and
whom when they are wronged and
neglected are stung into resentment.
1t seems that Hattie Woolsteen was
one Of the few in whom pride was
stronger than devotion. That she
loved DIR. Harlan there is no more
doubt than that to him she was mere
ly pastime; while it is equally
certain that while he was
enjoying himself at the Bruins.
wick billiard saloon, she was thinking
of him, as alone and forgotten she
traversed the quiet roads at Compton
Under the most favorable circum'
stances, DR.. Harlan was dangerous
companion for any girl; but in q
strange place and without the slight
est restraint upon her actions, it is
little wonder that his influence devel.
oped all that was base in Hattie's ma
ture. The strongest, the wisest and
the best women are unconsciously
swayed for good or evil by the men
with whom they are associated, and
as it would appear that Miss Wool
steen was neither particularly strong,
wise nor angelic, it was a matter
of course, that she should become
domoralized by such an intimacy. II
DR.. Harlan was not killed he deserved
to be; but, in order to crafty the
popular taste for such real-life dramas,
her father should have called him to
an account, and afterwards should
have strobe into police headquarters,
flung down his weapons, and given
himself up. In that case Hattie
would have received the copious sym
pathy the public is so ready to extend
to victims; yet, under the existing
circumstances, she is infinitely more
to be pitied than she otherwise would
have been, and, guilty or not guilty,
she should receive from every woman
the most tender compassion.