The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-13


For moment lt was hard TO realize that
the ouiet. pale little wom&n with her
hair arranged in a braid like school
Girl who had Just gllded timidly into the
room was Mrs Worthington. woman
convicted of murder She presented an
extraordinary contrast to hard-faced,
lond-yoiced female prisoner who had
arrival in the van and was at that
m oment being handed over to the marion
cara But the criminal appearing"
woman had come to jail for an otfeEse that
seemed trivial compared to Mrs. Worth
ington's.
The quiet little woman had silently
taken a chair and. with clasped hands
and dropping head, was sitting ap-
parently apathetic to her surroundi ngs
She never moved nor made any sign
when the suDerlntendent announced
"This is Mrs. Worthingt0n.'
You look so young" L exclaimed IN
Involuntary surprise.
~ am not very DID," she answered, loo h
ing ND Immediately with the ghost OF
smile and speaking in low, even voice.
"Iwas % in March. My husband gave
this to me last birthday" and as she
spoke Mrs. Worthlngton unclasped
souvenir spoon from her throat. Across
the bowl of it was printed the word, For
given"
turning the spoon over. Look; March,
1891"
Were you born in California;" | asked
"Ob. no." she answered, dropping her
hands istlesslv into her lap again, but
keeping her big blue eyes riveted upon my
face, II was born in England, at Bolton,
near Manchester, and did not come to
California till | was IA. My sisters and
brother brought me here, but my parents
are in Bolton still.
"They are terribly distressed about your
trial." [ inquired.
"They won't know" she answered.
showing the first sign of any kind of emo
ton that she had vet exhibited. for her
ewes slowly filed with tears, though ner
voice remained unmOyed and even, while
she went on:
"My mother is over 60, and we think it
would kill her to hear o. all the trouble
have been getting into. So my sisters
have promised not 10 write it to her. on.
yes; she knows my married name. My
husband ate his last Christmas dinner with
my father and mother when he was In
Europe last winter; but they don't see
American papers over there, and the
English papers would not be likely to
n otice case like mine, so far away.
"My mother must never know my trouble
-
i shall always keep on writing TO her as II
1 were free and happy" and As she said
this the tears that had been slowly gather
ing in Mrs. " orthington's eyes brlmmed
over and fell onto the listless hands, but
not muscle of her apaihetic, tlred-look-
ing face contracted. She did not even
take the trouble 30 raise her hand ana
brush the moisture out of her eyes.
Are YOU not overcome yourself by the
verdict" | asked.
She shook her head csreessly. Il don't
realize what they tell me the verdict
means" she replied. Perhaps shall in
few Gays, but at present L hardly under
stand it at all. l don't know what to think.
You see | am so sickly and suffer so much
from headaches that | don't think much at
all. But expected before the trial that
the jury would disagree"
1t was only necessary 10 glance at Mrs.
WOrthington to see that she was speaking
the truth, in declaring herself to be sickly.
Her head and shoulders had the tired
drooD only seen in fragile persons, aud her
complexion was colOrless and waxy. The
quiet, self-con tanned woman conveyed the
impression of perfect sanity. but she did
not appear to be particularly bright or in
teIligent. On the other hand, she was
responsive and perfectly willing to talk
frankly-juSt the sort of woman. in fact,
who could be very easily led.
You see. it is this way about the trial."
she went Cd. Il did not know what
grounds were going to come up in court.
and l am not sure what they are going to
do now. but | expect new trial, anyway.
All heard the lawyer say last night was
something about the 10th of September.
How did keep so quiet and Indifferent
all through this last trial? Well, | hardly
know. l don't think | realized it. Things
did not seem quite real, and then being
sick makes one lstlesS. OF course, I'll try
to bear up if they give me new trial.
I'll have to, if 1t comes up. Besides, |
want to get out for the children's sake"
Are they old enough to miss YOU? 2" |
asked, for on mentioning her children she
had suddenly stopped talking and had
dropped her head alphabetically.
"Yes," she answered, looking I'D imme-
diately, with the first touch of rea. interest
in her voice and real smile on her lips.
IL expect my husband here this after
noon with the little boy. He is always
asking 10 go see mama He is 4 p years
old and looks something like me. The
little girl is 21s and dark-eyed like her
papa, The children used to be good
deal in court because my sister had no
one to leave them with. so she brought
them along.
IT'S Tor the children's sake L want to
get out" repeated Mrs. Worthngton
quietly. II cannot bear to think of their
growing up away from me- they both miss
me so much now" AS she spoke she bent
forward little and gazed through tho
half-open door at the walled-in garden
and the hills beyond. where all was sun
chine and liberty.
Thinking nothing more remained to be
said l arose to go. but she stopped me by
saying quickly:
II know the people have bad opinion
Of my husband. butthey treat him wrongly
when they think so. If he had ever been
mean to me I'd have SAID so, but he never
sgd cross word TO ne. Ii was sick he
would help around when he came home
from the office and would cook me any,
thing | wanted. He never denied me
what l asked for.
81 cannot realize myself, l cannot realize
why left him. she repeated hopelessiy.
as though asking herself the answer 10
some inexplica ble problem. II was always
happy at home. OF course l was troubled
q great deal with sickness. but when you
are. sick you have got to make the best OF IT..
"Oh, l knew going away would not
make me any better: of course not. can
not realize why | went Everything L
asked for got, and he never spoke cross
word to me. Really. in myself. L don't
know why did il, but | did. and now
an always asking myself why" -.aea0
Once aroused out Of her apathy Mrs.
Worthington seemed willing TO 60 on re-
peating the same proposition again and
again. She spoke quietly and in low
toDa uith0ut xiuo auv Opclurps and