The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10

A POLICE MArRoN.


----------
Influence OF u womAnly Woman Over q
Despised snd Hardened Outcast.
The work that a good woman can do
for the fallen of her sex is well illus
trated by a story related by Mrs. Bar
ney in an address upon the subject OF
police matrons. She was once urging
the necessity of such matrons upon the
authorities of a certain city, when the
chief of police said, ''Well, If you could
see one woman that comes in here three
or four times a year-'Old SarW 1t
took four policemen, he said, to bring
her into the cell, and usually they got
their faces scratched. One morning
Mrs. Barney was told that this woman
had been put into a cell the previous
night. Eve would like to see you
bring her into court" the police said.
''If you can do that we shall believe in
police matrons."
The chief offered to send two men to
protect me, but / declined their serv-
ices. As I reached the cell door |
tapped with the key, and then unlocked
the door and entered. There in the
dark, narrow cell crouched the woman,
looking more like wild beast. She
was just ready to spring, as she was ex-
pecting the police. She cried out:
"Who are youG"
II am your friend" replied.
tits Hep she said. 'Thaven't got
any friends"
"But I am your friend" I reiterated
gently.
The woman laughed mockingly.
who are you, anyway"
II am a police woman"
'Oh, didn't know they had any
such things" she said. II never saw
one before. What do you think you're
| goin' to dot"
"Help YOU" replied simply; and
as I stood there beside her I dropped
my hands upon her shoulders, and call
ing her by her married name, said,
"You know you have to go into the
court in a minute, and you are not fit
to CO."
began to arrange her hair. took
a pin from my own hair. She hadn't
O. button or pin or fastening of any
kind In her clothes. She sat there
tngging to hold them together, and as
tried to dress her she said:
'Tel me what you are up to. Tell
me what you mean"
Looking in her eyes / asked kindly,
'Do you remember the first time you
were ever in a police stationT
Don't ! remember itT
"How old were you2"
II wasn't sixteen then, and / am
moro than sixty now"
~How many tfnes have you been in
these piacesf'
'Qh, don't know. I guess God
don't know-it's 80 often"
''Do you remember how you felt the
first timer"
II was almost scared to death.
cried all night"
''sally, II a good woman had been
there and had wiped the tears off your
face, and had put UP your hair and
had rested a motherly hand on your
shoulder, as I have done today, what
would 1t have meant to your
"Oh, would never have gone back
again, but nobody ever cared"
| "Now, Sally, want you to do some
thing for me. I want to get woman
to 60 into these places to care for the
women in the way have suggested.
Wouldn't You like to help mer'
II would do anything / could to help
you"
1 1.-THE police think you will not &c
quietly into court with me this morn
ing; but I'm sure you will"
| We talked together a little while
longer, and then came the call for us tc
60 into court. AS we rose from the bed
where we had been sitting said, evil
you take my arm, or shall I take yours?
She looked me over and said, oval,
I am about three times as large as you
I guess you'd better take mine"
So we went into court The police
men said they would have cheered US
If It had been proper, and one of them
said that I had "bewitched Sally. y
And so the poorcreature wasbewitched
but only with gentle treatment and
kind words. Youths Companion.
/.