The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-07-27
PITIFUL STORY OF
EFFORTS To SAVE
DAUGHTER FROM DOWNFALL
TOLD BY MOTHER OF 15-YEAR-oLD
CELESTE CREIGHTON.


Sufficient Money to Send Her Be
yOnd Reach of Objectionable As
sOciates, the Mother Pawned En-
gagement Ring That Had Been
Given Her by Her Husband Near
ly 20 Years Ago.
While her mother sat crying with
head bowed on the bed, telling her
story of the effort to save her daugh-
ter without the intervention of the
courts, Celeste Creighton, the 15-year-
old girl who has brought the trouble
about, sat in an adjoining room play
ing the piano and singing, "ThouIt
Break My Heart. My Marguerite"
The scene was one charged with more
than ordinary dramatic interest When
the mother began to tell her story to a
Morning News reporter, the girl, who
had been watching the proceedings
closely, called, Mother. I wish to
speak to you a moment"
The mother answered, It am busy
now, dear; wait just a minute" With
pout the girl turned from the door
and started to move away. Then she
stopped moment and listened to the
pathetic story that was being told
After just the moments hesitation she
hurried to the piano. A few soft
chords were lightly struck and then a
clear soprano voice began singing. 81
would not chide thee, chide thee
Marguerite" closing with the words
'Thoult break my heart, my Mar
guerite."
Mrs. Eva Creighton, the mother of
the girl, is an unusually pretty wom-
an, though her face shows the effects
of her worry and care in the nervous
lines and blue circles under the eyes
The daughter is almost her exact coun-
terpart save in hight. A Morning
News reporter was ushered into the
little parlor and slowly the mother told
her story, the futile efforts to save her
daughter, the sleepless nights passed
while the daughter was missing, Sc
GREETED by the man Currie; the story of
her finding, and finally the last resort
of an appeal to Judge Cam.
Once. as she told of the decision to
part with her daughter, the only child.
Mrs. Creighton's feelings overcame her,
she dropped her head upon
the foot of the bed and
sobbed softly. You know she
was my all she said at last, land it
broke my heart to think of her going.
God knows / love the child and have
done my best for her"
TIE Mothers Efforts.
Little by little the mother told the
story of her efforts, speaking in
straightforward manner that brought
| conviction. Always she referred to
| Celeste as her little girl" and never
was there harsh word uttered
| against her.
Briefly she told of her husbands
| death and of her efforts to struggle
with the world for a livelihood BY
sewing and other work, by receiving
boarders and dodgers, she managed to
| get enough together to keep herself
and daughter and give the girl the
| benefit of an education.
Then the trouble began brewing
| Currie came to the house to board and
! the mother took him in In Jackson
vile he lost his position and. telling of
| it, the woman took him in and charged
him nothing for his board
His Attentions to Celeste.
Recently he began showing atten-
| tons to Celeste and the mother OBJ
! jected. At last she ordered him from
! the house, and though no longer a
| boarder, he continued his attentions
to the girl Ordering him from the
house did no good. Pleadings and
threats of recourse to the law were
alike useless.
At last the mother decided to send
the girl to Canton. Miss to relatives.
She began doing extra sewing and lit
| tie by little the money which was to
buy the ticket came in. At last. when
| the amount was nearly complete. the
| urgency of getting the girl beyond the
influence of her associates became so
| apparent that the mother could not
wait until sewing could earn her the
amount still necessary
On her finger was the diamond en-
gagement ring that had been given her
by her husband. nearly a quarter of a
century ago. This, her dearest earthly
treasure, she determined to sacrifice
for the sake of the daughter She
cried when she decided to part with it
but, love for her daughter controlling,
she took it from her finger and pawn
ed 1t. With the amount thus obtained
sufficient was on hand TO send the
daughter away
Detained in Atlanta.
At the station the mother cried. but
the daughter whispered to her Don't
cry, mother. I'll be all right" With
this assurance the mother left her.
This was on Friday night and Mon
day came the telegram announcing
that the daughter had not arrived in
Mississippi.
In her despair, the mother sent for
Currie. He told her of the girls stop
ping for three days in Atlanta. of
her spending the money from the
pawned ring there in pleasure: Of his
sending tickets to her to return. and
closed by saying that she was then
in Dublin, with his relatives. Il was
more content then" said Mrs. Creieh-
ton, "for l knew no harm could come
to her in the country"
Later she learned that her daughter
was here and not in Dublin learned
1t only when she Unexpectedly faced
her in the office of Supt Garfunkel
where City Detective Bostick had
taken the girl. The blow was too
much for the nervously excited, over
worked mother. and she tainted.
Currie continued his attentions de-
spite protests. Messengers were sent
TO the house and turned away. AT
last. in her despair. the heart broken
mother, seeing no other relief. appeal
ed to the law for aid, and 1t was given
her.
Money for Marriage.
Mr. Currie wished to marry &c.
leste" said Mrs. Creighton. "He
brought a paper to the house one day
and asked her to sign Il. 1t was a