The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-01-18
CHAPTER II.

a woman mao Oee0 lOUNO IL NGn
York leaning against an iron railing
In Eighth avenue, between, Fifty.
sixth and Fifty seventh streets, II
the evening. It was in December
when it was bleak, cold, dismal. l:
was just ten days before Christmas
to-, when the whole city is suppcec
to be alive to the nost glorious spirit
Of Christianity: Peace on earth, good
Will to men,
She was helpless. She could barely
mean out her name ard her address
"Oh Bruce, oh Bruce" SIZE kept or
nearing, as if there were sn ache in
her throat and a break in her heart.
''oa. send for Bruce. or my little
Annie"
Officer O'Lsary, Of tie West Forty.
seventh street police station, found
her. With the quick instinct Of his
profession be knew at once that she
was a getnleWoman in a ncst deplor-
able situation. he pondered mo.
ment.
Where is your home, Madame.
Do you want to 20 hone?:'
Home, Hone-yes, 70, oh yes,
take me htme! No, cont, dcn't"-
There was a cut over cEe one OF her
eyes, which might have been the re-
suit Of a faL, and the officer called tol
an ambulance and took her to the
Roosevelt Hospital. Finally, after
her mino had ou;ckered a little bit
with warmth after her exposure, sse
gave her name and address;
MRS. Bruce Crane, No. e5 Fifth
avenue"
8sr husband was rot. fed. She seut
for her daughter Annie. Tie daughter
sent no response. The husband made
no effort 10 come to her rescue.
So she had to be taken like any
common unfortunate TO the station
house. Even after another ucti6ca-
tion Bruce Crane did net baIl her OUT,
nor did his step6aughter hasten to her
succos.
Can one imagine a more bea!tless or
crueller ordeal than this, which hap
pened the next morning in the York
vile Police Court?
She was a'gned in court early be-
fore Magistrate Came, who happened
to be sitting. Alone with al the cr-
dinary ''6runks" and thugs" and
riff raf" Of a great city Policeman
O'Leary produc, d his prisoner. There
was that innate something in her
bearing, her carriage, her dignity.
that instantly compelled al eyes tc
focus on her, for Mrs. Bruce Crane
has always bee2 a handsome woman.
Scarcely anybody could believe his
eyes when the conventional charge
was made vagra1t and intoxicat-
ed.'' Poor woman, what made her
80?
Then, and only then, did Bruce
Crane appear.
She was gowred in a smart frcck of
clcse- fitting gray cloth. Her splendid
blond hair under he- little tcQue took
all the glints Of the sun that stole into
the dingy, ill-smelling place.
he dnC She StCCC 13clhS eac0 OGneE-
She gave him one look. She said
nothing. He turned his head away
and in answer to tee question of the
Magistrate. what do you wish
done?" He said with calm, cold and
precise elaboration:
Il think she had better be put
under retraint for awhile. have tried
in every way to reform her. / have
sent her to various aSylums and sani-
ta-iums I have placed her with
friends Of the family and with private
physicians but it has all been OF no
avail. I have pleaded with her for
the sake Of our children
Then the storm IL the heart OF
Mrs. Crane broke: Our CHILDREN
she echoed in an impasSiOned out
burst; why are they not here: Where
is my Annie, my child-nct yours,
no. ours, but my own. Or, my God,
vfv does she rot core to help me CoW