The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-21


 took great interest in the hapless little ones across the way who were fatherless ana motheriess or worse. Of all the ba- pies Tn the asylum she was drawn most strongly to eighteen months old Mabel Worthington. So tiny that she had to be carried about on pillow and so full of spirit and mischief that the attendants were almost distracted with her. nrs. Preece persuaded her husband to go and see "the cute bad little thing and some time afterward the wilful baby be- came their child by legal adoption. The freeces were well to do. They Iavished dh the comforts and pleasures that love could suggest and money buy upon the little girl From Jefferson City they went 70 St. Louis, where Mir. Preece had a lucrative business position. They thought mat Inc climate there did not agree with Nnanei' however, and removed to Minne- apolis. There in a pleasant home with the pest educational advantages and re- med associations, the girl had every im- pulse and encouragement to develop into refined womanhood.
 l Tier Foster father. T. J. Preece, is A member of the brokerage firm of Preece & Dunham, No, 9 North Third Street. ana her mother is the supervisor of phys lcai training fin the public schools. Finan- cIahy and socially their position in the |
 But the qualities that had heer "cuts" | in the baby became naughty in the little slrI' ana as she grew into big girl they caused the deepest anxiety on the part of ner foster parents. She was sent to the visitation Convent, in St. Paul, but while sne did we'll in her studies the old way wardness continued to get her into trouble. One escapade succeeded anoth- CT one nnally ran away, and when she
  ments.. The girl was hopeless said bAr teacher, but her foster parents still had faith in her. -'o-
 1ne restrictions of home and school proved more and more unequal to the task of holding the wilful girl within pounds. She had a predilection for the ziezag paths of life. Her foster parents pIeadings were in vain. All that lay in thelr power they did for the child they had taken to their hearts and their home. Battling With Heresity.
 They had power, however, over only one-hah the problem. They could regu- ldte the girls environment, but heredity was eXerting an influence they found themselves helpless to cope with.
 Four years ago last September Mabel freece was sent to the JTrsuline Convent m bediord Park. Apparently she was im- pressed With the life there and for a time
 
 oi becoming nun That impulse how eVer' was short lived and soon there were rumors or pranks in which she was the .saoer-Vioiations of the convent rules and tue oiu Clrne chahng against restraint. It ended again in her running away.
 mrs Freece came East and stayed with the glrl, irving to win her obedience by IoVe' ehoruy afterward she took her to vlslt her own mother in St. Louis She had been divorced from MaheI's father and was married to a brother oP DalIo Fox. the actress.
 My mother told me that my father had treated her very badly" said Mahei "and she showed me picture of him. That ia all know about him. I do not know whether he is alive or dead" Evidently there was not much affection awakened between mother and daughter | by this visit, for Mabel says that she bas never heard from her since her visft. and in speaking of her she displays no emo ton whatever.
 In all her relations Mabel Parker has demonstrated that she is sensational and excitable, rather than emotional Her marriage was the result of a whim. She had met James Parker. as he called him self, after she left the convent at Bedford Park. His real name was Singerly. and he was a member of a respectable family of Pittsburg. He had only recently been dismissed from the reformatory, hut he presented a good appearance and talked well. Under this exterior were the ele- ments of the criminal which appealed to those qualities in the girls nature that had been struggling t. evade the conven- tionalities and moralries with which she had been encompassed. At that time she did not know that he was a "crook.' they both say, and she was "on the level" as he puts it. Yet. as their manner of life proved as soon as they were married, their commu- nifty of illicit interests drew them togeth- er
 The marriage ceremony was an unplan- ned incident We were driving in ham som in the Park" explained Mabel land 1lm said. Let's get married All right. sald l. where will we go?' We can ask the cabby.' he replied.
 Caboy told us to go to the Little ChnTch Around the Corner That's where
 take them all, he said. So we went tnere and were married. How about the ring said Jim after We got in. That's all rlght I told him. had my mother wedding ring no, not my own mothers my adopted mothers. She had let me % wear It for s:evera! years, so I was mar For time all went well with Mir and Mrs Parker or Mir and Mrs. sIngerIv-I