The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-16

WHAT IT CAN DO FOR EVEN
A CRIMINAL.
4 POTI l. MATRON.
tiouth ) Companion

The work that good woman can
DO for the fallen OF her sex Is we'll
illustrated by story related by Mrs
Barney in an address upon the SUBJ
ject OF police matrons. She was
once urging the necessity of such
natIons upon the authorizes OF s
certain city, when the chief OF police
said, "Well, If you could see
one woman that comes in here three
or four times year-Old Sal ~ 1t
took four policemen, he said. to
bring her into the cell, and usually
they get their faces scratched. One
morning Mrs. Barney was told that
this woman had been put In q cell
the previous night. "We wonld like
to see you bring her into COURT" the
police SAID, "If you can do that, We
shall believe in police mstrons.'
The chief offered to send two men
TO protect me, but declined their
services. AS | reached the cell door
| raped with the key, and then un>
locked the door and entered. There
in the dark, narrow cell crouched the
woman, looking more like a wild
beast. She was just ready to spring
as she was expecting the police
She cried out:
Who are you?"
III am your friend" l replied.
''It's lie !" she said. 81 haven't
got any friend.'
"But l am your friend" l reiterat
ed, gently.
The woman laughed mockingly
"Who are you, anyway"
81 am police woman"
Ooh, | din't know they had any
such things" she said. 81 never
saw one before. What do you think
you're goin' to do?"
"Help vou," replied, simply; and
as | stood there beside her 3, ] drcp
ped my hands upon her shoulder,
and calling her by her married name,
| said, "You know you haye to go
into the court in minute, and you
are not fl to go.'
l began to arrange her hair.
took a pin from nv own hair; she
hadh't a button or pin or tasten
ing Of any kind in her clothes; she
sat there tugging to hulG them to-
gether, and as | tried to dress her
she said:
II Ill ms what you're op t.; TIL
me what you mean"
Looking in her eyes, l asked,
kindly, ''Do you rememter tue first
time yon were in police stationF'
"Don't | remember il?"
"How old were you5"
81 wasn't sixteen then and l an
more than sixty now."
"How many times have You been
in these places?'
ooh, l don't know; l guess Goo
- l. 80 oft
sDo you remember how You fell
the frts timer
IL was almost scared to death
[ cried all night
"Sally, if good woman had beer
there and had wiped the tears of
your face, and had put up your hai
and rested 3 motherly hand on you
| shoulder, as [ hive done to day
what would it have meant to your
"Oh, l would never have gon'
back again; but nobody ever cared
"Now, Sally, l want you to d.
something for me. ] want to get {
woman to go into these places t
care for the women in the way
have suggested Wouldn't you lik
to help me5"
81 would do anything | could t.
help you"
"Tbe police think you will not g
quietly into court with me thi
morning but l am sure you will.'
We talked together a little whil
longer, and then came the call TO
Us to go into court. AS we ros
from the bed where we had bee
sitting. ssid, "Nlll you take ID,
arm, or shall take yours?"
She looked me over and said
"Wa', am about three times q
large you; | guess you'd better tax
mine..
SO we went into court. The polio
men said they would have cheere'
us if it had been proper: and one o
them said that | had "oe witchet
Sally" And so the poor creature
was bewitched, but only with gentl
treatment and kind words.
1