The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-06-01

Irish and BohemianS the females exceed
the males. In the case of Germans and
Scandinavians the ratio of females to
males is "a Hebrews Az and Polaks
about even. 1t is about IL in the case
of English, Dutch, Finnish, French, Pol
ish and Ruthenians, and about 1.3 with
the LuthaniaAs, Maygyars and Slovaks.
the Northern Italian shows a ratio of
about IA. the Croatians and Dalmatians
1.5, and the Greeks 1,31.
Ellen looked at the sea for the last
time that day from the ferry that
brought us back to the barge office. The
woman in charge of the intelligence bu-
reau at the barge office had been there
twentyfour years She smelled of the
sea, and she knew when pearl had been
washed ashore.
Ny friend was very conscientious She
was on good terms with the woman In
the intelligence office and brought Ellen
to her.
She was released to us at Ellis Is
land" explained my friend "Of course,
l always have depended upon you to get
me a girl, but over at Ellis Island one of
the officials secured Ellen for me and
here she is. l have ordered her boxes to
be expressed to my residence. and 1 think
l have a treasure
The woman looked Ellen over critically
and then turned to my friend.
This girls been in this country be-
fore" she said with the air of a connois-
seur land besides 1 have a girl here for
you. | did not expect you to bring one
back from the island. You said If 1 found
a nice girl to keep her for you"
IN way this was true, but the woman
had known well enough that my friend
wound more than probably engage a girl
at Ellis Island In the barge huddled
with a hundred immigrant women sat
the girl waiting to be inspected. She
came forward, a beautiful creature al
mond-eyed, red-lipped.
My friend was In a dilema. She had
told the woman at the intelligence office
that she wanted a girl, but the ocean had
not washed any pearls ashore that morn
ing. There was Ellen to be considered.
And the officials at Ellis Island had been
extremely kind. And here was a girl at
the barge office and the old creature in
charge of the intelligence bureau had
raised point of honor. She insisted that
she had seen Ellen before, and this SEEM
ed to imply that Ellen had fed the
country to escape detection.
Finally Ellen admitted that she had
recently been In this country, that she
had come over to see her mother who
died shortly afterward. and that after
her mothers death she had crossed the
seas again, but had only that morning
landed at Ellis Island. This satisfied the
intelligence bureau woman. She had not
been dealing with immigrant women for
twenty years not to know more in a min
ute than the officials at Ellis Island dis
covered In hours of investigation.
II am in duty bound to keep Ellen"
said my friend. but what about this
other girl? l feel that 1 ought to take
her, too"
The prospect of chaperoning two i'm
migrant women at one time was a seri-
Gus proposition. The intelligence office
woman knew my friend to be a woman
Of honor, and she played her accord
ingly. She said little. but her attitude
Indicated that she considered Ellen an
imposter, and that she had been palmed
off upon us by foxy custom house Off
cial. We had been 50 stupid not to have
known all this before, and to realize that
1t was not disinterested kindness on the
part of the official who conducted us over
Ellis Island and gave himself endless
| concern to secure girl without any
trouble to us. He had escorted us through
the various departments. from the de-
tention bureau to the hospital and ex-
planned the intricate system governing
the detention and release of Immigrants
and then had given us as a souvenir
Ellen.
But the woman at the barge office
plainly told us that he must have had
good reasons for wanting to get rid of
Ellen. But we declined to believe IT.
The intelligence office woman. was a SUBJ
tie creature. She made my friend feel
that unless she discharged Ellen on the
spot and engaged the other girl that
further relations at the barge office
would not be pleasant But in the end
we walked away with Ellen. l suppose
she thought that enough had happened
in one short day.
She settled herself in a corner of the
street car, her tin box at her feet. Low
er New York was blotted out with rain
and the barge office was growing more
of memory, but the immigrant woman
| seemed very real. Finally, l could not
stand it moment longer and l spoke
to her.
What are you thinking of, Ellen"
1 asked.
When will we get to New York;" she
answered YEARLY.
1t was not even humorous. The situa-
| ton was pathetic
l turned to my friend.
What are you thinking off," 1 said.
| There was a worried look in her ex-
| quisite eyes.
81 am wondering what Ellen's mother
| died off, she said quite seriously.