The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10
DARK-SKIKNED LION-TANER IN THE HOUSE OF

hnd TO my surprise that the Bell case
is not so great function as other court
trials / have attended.
The audience is smaller. There are
1ewer women present. The reporters take
fe more easily. An attorney now and
then betrays womanish desire for the
last word, and repeats ii thing upon dis
coveTy that it is good thing. People tit
Ter applausivey and without fear of the
bailiffs gavel, at the Judges tacetious
asides, which like all stage asides are sig
nihcant, to be uttered in a distinct voice,
and to be listened to at least with smiling
Difference, though lively hilarity would
better testify to ones appreciative powers.
1t is all rather informal, though, and l
suppose the judicial ermine does be come
rather irksome if the burden is never to
be lifted from ones shoulders.
But the Bell case is very interesting de.
spite the lack of scenic accessories. 1t
has the attraction, the only Legitimate at
traction, which all family squspbles
have-the exhibition of human nature in
various phases, the showing-up OF char
acter.
Here's a sor whom his mother bas de-
nied-a weak, obstinate, dissipated boy
who has taken the bit between his teeth,
who tugs and strains with all the strength
OF stubborn weakness to wound those who
have been nearest to him. He has been
wrouged, or faEcies be has-I haven, t
been long enough IN court to decide
which-and besides. as Judge Coffey re-
marked to Fred Bells lawyer, You re
not the judge"
The boy declares his mother, or his fos-
ler-mother, Incom petent; wholly under
the control of Mrs. Pleasant, their colored
housekeeper. He wishes her removed
from the guardianship OF the minor Bell
children. And she, il defending herself,
heaps disgrace upon him.
LIS pitia BILE. shameful story, and the
details are tenfold more pitiabIe, more
shameful
You're a drunkard, mother, an i'm be-
cile-and worse"
You're a drunkard, son, petty black
guard-aEd worse"
And they ring the changes on this and
ampiiiy and explain charge and counter
char-e And one feels ashamed fer them
and sick at heart; but they, fortunately
or unfortunately, are intoxicated with
N--N S'AOAAS NAAS VI lCfGD Scs LdGA I66OS
not. knows not his own suffering in his
mad glee at his enemy's pain.
The widow of the late Thomas Bell.
millionaire, of Mysterious Manor 1861 Oc-
tavia street. is what people used 10 call a
''dressy woman" She appeared in court
in black and green silk gown, lace
trimmed, with large white hat with lace
and black plumes upon it. Her face is
hard, sharp featured, but she has fine eyes
and quantities of brown hair. Her man
ner tells OF anything but the diffident in
competence l anticipated. Mrs. Bell may
be, as her son insists she is, child in the
hands of that wonderful old woman.
Nanny Pleasant; but in The courtroom
she neither looks toward nor consults the
old black nurse. She advises with her
lawyer, speaking positively and decid edly,
and emphasizing her remarks with the
Ineffective gesture OF the goved female
hand.
She stands at times so near to the wlllfuI
angered boy who has called her mother
tor nearly twenty years that one would
think she could not resist laying a moth
er y hand, with both appeal and forgive
ness IN ils gentle touch, upon his broad
shoulder. Bu:, apparently, the thought
of reconciliation is as far from him as from
her-and l wouldn't describe Mrs. Bell as
hotherIy woman.
So there she stands and whispers into
her lawyers ears the facts and dates which
shall expose the shameful details OF this
wild boys life. And there he sits and
moodily murmurs that into his attorney S
ear which shall EN- barrass and humiliate
and shame the wife OF his father.
Miss Marie Bell-Miss Marie Therese
Bell as her brother calls her, in stilted
imitation of the legal phraseology be has
been hearing of late-sat apart from the
other celebrities the day l was IN court.
She, too, was gayly dressed-the outlines
of her round, childish face, with it's watch
tul eyes, sketched dim!y behind the mas k
of a white chiffon veil, above a white
chiffon vest and broad green velvet
revers. She wore red roses in her light
hat.
There was repose about the young girl
that contrasted with Mrs Bells quick
movements and strained, intent posture>.
But it may have been simple stolidity-
merely the patience of phlegmatic tenn
lerameni.
While on the stand Fred Bell, under the
lawyers sharp questioning, was compelled
10 state that III the course of a drive with
disr putable panions he had pawned
his young sister, ring.
Ii wasn't curiosity that made me look
toward the girl then. l felt apologetic,
panied that I and others should have
listened 10 that which must have hurt her
sorely. But Marie's round, young face
was smiling behind the thick white veil
smiling with a sort of innocent, babyIsh