The San Francisco call., 1899-12-14

- Ut in a modest little fat on Bu-
chanan street. in IN health and
/ broken in spirit. staggering under
the crushing burden OF the expo
sure of her youthful folly and
shame. the mother Of Elvira Alice Reed
sB praying for death. IL she had been
consulted, this woman. who knows what
pr.vation and poverty mean, would
have begged the Marin County capitalist
20 Glsiuherit their child rather than let
secret leE ii-44stt - lssaeFFs4
to the world.
L want 20 die" she moaned again ard
acain. yesterday. 81 am praying for
death. My child. too. whom ! love 50
deeply .aud tenderly-T would rather
mourn her dead than have her face the
shame OF this awful exposure. II l had
stood beside Reed when he was about 10
gn that win that makes our little daugh-
ter rich and Independent ] would have
snatchcQ the pen from his hand. Don't
do a.. would have implored him. IN
work for her, only don't let the world
know that they NAV cast a stone At her
Mrs. Wood, the unhappy mother OF The
late Marin County capitalists little
daughter. IS a frail little woman. pale and
haEgard. showing plainly the struggle eN-
istcnce during The past few years has
meant Tor her. Her surroundings are
shabby. Her clothes are shabby. Her
face is more deeply lined than her thirty
Two years warrant. Her hands show she
knows what toll means and there is that
3udtfuable something about her that lets
her statement. we have known what pri-
walton means" 60 unchalenged The
story OF her laison with Reed and subse-
Cuent birth OF the child. who figures so
prominently IN the capitalists WILL was
told yesterday FOR the FIRST time 10y the
leartbrokeu woman. The recital was
simple one. only once did the unfortu-
Jess conspicuous. Il loved him. she
said. "and he promised. as soon as u
would be possible, 20 make the one ana
only reparauon man can make in such
Mrs. Woods story OF her love and sub
Feguent downfall dated back 20 many
years ago; when al the age OF IL she hrsI hr.sII
entered the home Of Reeds sister /
grew up with Reed continually about me,
she said. He was kind and good 10 me
and later attentive. / learned 70 love him
and I knew my love was returned. Six
months previous 10 the birth OF our child
] left Mr Reeds sisters home. She never
said that she knew OF the relations that
existed between her brother and myself,
but have reason 10 believe that she sus-
.'On The 2ad Of December. 1883. our little
daughter was born. After I left the home
% my childhood the relationship between
Reed and myself ceased. He came con-
tinually, though, 10 see the child; She
knew him as her father and loved him.
and he loved her. he provided FOR her
wants. but the allowance he made was "A
small one. and Il was with difficulty that
We managed 10 subsist on IL. At Reeds
request. our little girl was christened
Elyira Alice Reed. Justo Vidal, who is
named as the executor OF Reeds will. is
her godfather, and Mrs. Vidal is her god
mother.
''On Tho lst 81 July. 1896" Mrs. Wood
continued. Il was married 20 J. G. Wood.
j confessed 10 him the story of little
Nera's birth. lie was kind 10 the child
and often took her out with him. When
she was finally old enough 20 attend pub
JIG school she was enrolled as Elvira Alice
Wood During my married life with Wood