The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-27
DREAM CAME TRUE
Young Girl Wed at End
of Prison Term.
Story of llier Kelly Reads Like the
Widest MeIodrama. Sentenced
for Stealing Dead Mothers
"Things" Her Lover Awaits
Her Liberty.

The story of Ilier Kelly, young wo-
man of Moore county, just turned
.Wenty-one years of age, reads like the
melodramatic Pigment of the BRAIN Oh
the artist who writes the serials lot
the "Housemaids own Magazine.
In fact the plot through which her
naiseuided steps have rambled for the
paSt few years is so Outre as 10 cause
one to tend to lose in the imposslolll-
ties of its situations, the real pam
matters of true heart interest WITH
Which it terms. SO, in melodranld
are the truely fine sentiments, the
natural bits of acting, lost IN the sliul-
lie of paper snow from, the stage beams
and the fatefully inopportune vii
Ian and the heroines exaggerated de-
euair-when she knoWs-and you
know-that cts all coming out all
right in the end"
A little more than a year ago Her
Kelly was simple country girl, living
on n Moore county farm. Her dayS
were lived in the slow drudgery OF
those who toll with their hands, whose
horizon seems to be limited to the
ceaseless round of eating and sleeping
and working Perhaps she was happy.
thus for Ilier Kelly had the spark OF
the dream within her breast-the
dream of home and children that
lights the hearts of women Ger Inc
world. Underlined, perhaps. within hef
breast, but still the dream.
Ana then tie common cataclysms OF
nature came to HERS commonplace
lot. Her parents died and Tor aWnlie
she was dazed with the neWness OF the
loss. Finally she came to think OF the
dead and the things they haa left
the common Things" of an humble
home But others claimed them and
IL EnnWle00p OF
the fact ate and ate into lher's breast
They were her things she argued, her
to have and to keep. Inc cream, even,
would not be the same without these
things" of the dead-the common,
Neu-worn things she mad 50 long treat
ed as her own
SO, in her ignorance, Ilier went on
night by dark to the house to which
they had taken the things of her dead
parents. thinking nothing save her
wrongs. charged with desperate
purpose that did not count the cost,
she forced the crazy fastenlngs OF the
windows, entered the house and bore
her things" into the night.
of course she was discovered. The
tale was too pitifully patient to hide
With the cold lack OF insight into mo-
tive that gives to the theory of evolution
half its logic, her kinspeople caused
her arrest Harder still, the law
moved her on its treadmill to her sem
tence, Her, too poor to have the coun-
sci VINO might have turned the wooden
jI.ry into living men, sitting stolld on
the prisoners bench nursing her
dream. Harder yet, the judge scratch
Ell his head and found the minimum
sentence one year-and Ilier came to
the penitentiaryi
Barring the days that she had won
from he. sentence for good behavior,
that was twelve months ago. Shut in
by the high stockade, working beneath
the towering walls of brick, Iier Kelly
iabored day by day to expiate her
crime. Day by day the sun shcne fit
fully through the bars OF her narrow
cell, the cars rolled by beyond the
stockade, the routine of the prison
went on. Day by day Ilier Kelly went
to her work, accomplishing, almost
merry in the way she did her duty,
buouyed by her dream.
And yesterday her hope came true.
On the last day of her term Her KEEL
ly was married to the man who made
the dream. He was James a. Marley,
and he came from Liberty, in Ran
dolph county, to snatch a bride from
prison walls. He got his license and
secured q magistrate and fastened to
the penitentiary His bride, no longer
in convict. clothes, but neatly dressed,
awaited illill ne uldlIO1I anu the
prison authorities were gathered in the
reception room of the prison. They
beamed upon their cheerful charge of
yesterday. Venerable Squire Barbee,
moist as to the Irish eye of him. his
voice trembling a trifle with the
warmth of his celtic heart performed
the civil marriage service. In the cen
tire of the room which sees so many
tragedies, there was a fiuttering group
Of handshakers, who told James Mar
ley what a lucky man he was; ana
wished Her Kelly a full measure .of
the joy so long delayed--3nd Mr. and
Mrs. Marley walked forth bride and
groom from prison walls
These are facts. Was there ever q
more perfect melodrama?
So when the frantic mother with
her face covered with chalk throws
herself PROSTATE on the stage ana
screams, my ch-ield or when the
maiden strapped to a buffalo has her
bonds burned by a lucky prairie fire,
shudder not too much at the eXtrav-
agance of the fiction.
For it may be life.