The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1902-07-31
Another view Of L.

of 15-yeGr old orphan girl in Coahoma
county, Mississippi, by villainous ne
gro, as reported in the Commercial-Ap-
peal, is shocking, Every effort will be
made to capture the culprit by blacks
and whites, and should he be identified
the state militia will be called out only
to reach the scene too late and we NOR
alists will have to revamp our ancient
homilies on the beauties of letting the
law take its course and on the sinful
ness of lynching. Nevertheless it is
not likely that very great changes will
come in public sentiment as a result in
the remote districts, at least. People
will protect themselves as they deem
best, and the rapest, who puts himself
outside of the pale Of civilization and
on par with the wolf, the tiger, the
hyena or other ferine beasts beasts is
estopped by his own act from COM
planning.
There is another view of the question,
however, suggested by this tragedy, if
it does not belong to it. The report
says that an orphan girl chad been
given home with a farmer" This
farmer is to be commended for shelter
ing the homeless and fatherless, but
the report is not conclusive as to wheth-
or or not the child was given home pro-
lection. The story goes: "The girl
was in the field some distance from
where Bakers family resided" Baker
is the name of the farmer who had Civ
en- the orphan girl home. What the
girl was doing in the field is not stated.
Presumably she was at work like a field
hand. Undoubtedly she was alone and
unaccompanied by any one who could
give her protection.
This surely is most unhomely way
of treating an orphan. Farmer Baker
may be misrepresented by the report,
but if what is here written does not ap.
ply to him it will apply to others, and
no one need war q cap that does not fiji
him.
There are not wanting sanctimoniou'
snivelers who parisaically exploit the
fact that they "give home" to orphan
children, when in reality they accep
the child as slave, work and treat i
as a slave and turn it upon the worlt
when it comes of age lump of stunted
stupefied, unmitigated ignorance will
perhaps a propensity for viciousness
These sacrosanct hypocrits thank Coo
that they are not as others are and the,
make a virtue, in the public eye, o
their crimes against the orphaned ant
helpless. The blood boils and indigna
tion flames in right thinking peopl
: when they see the treatment accorde,
| unfortunates. Stepchildren are sub
, jected to ill-treatment, not infrequent
$ ly, especially among the lower orders
I but the orphan who is ignored and con
e sidered undesirable until it is reared b
: some eleemosynary institution until
can perform valuable service fares muc
Q worse. 1t is made to feel that the col
Z and unpalatable bread OF grudgin
h charity is its food, when in reality il
Q labor is q source of profit to its master
q Itmust look to despotism for encoul
e agement, to indifference for advice an
Y guidance, to cupidity for reward, t
Il selfshness for appreciation and to th
+ blackness of the night or the winds {
n heaven for sympathy.
g Sending a i5-year-old child to wor
n in distant field in a remote distri,
t and exposing her to the tender merci(
y of any white or black brute that migl
II discover her isolation and helplessneI
:, is something that ought not to be tole
II ated by any community. Euthanas
/ or even a violent method of taking Ii
II would be more charitable.
!, Nor are the orphaned the only suffe
81 ers, Parents at times expose their oW
4 children too much This is not oftt
y done by sending them alone to di
a tant field TO toll, but by permittir
le them to wander about or to go fro
At place to place through lonely ways II
10 attended. Lecherous lunatlcs can ]
rs more resist assaulting female met
a lonely place than could q pack
~ starving wolves resist devouring a lam
9, No punishment is too swift or seve
ld for the rapist but the possible victir
le should be moro closely guarded. Cor
40 mercial- Appeal
T. "rhe way to gain a good reputati
he is to endeavor to be what you desire
. appear - That is precisely the mann