The San Francisco call., 1905-06-12

Mrs. Louise worthington spent yester-
day getting acquainted with her three
children. none Of whom she had seen for
four years previously 10 her release from
the State prison at San Quentin on Friday
afternoon. Four years ago the father,
William H. Worthington. ceased taking
any Of the little ones with him on his
frequent visits to their mother. the Iea
son beng that they were getting old
enough TO ask questions" and it was
thought better not to let them know too
much at their tender age even Of what
they must learn later about their mother.
why Goes mamma stay?" What is she
doing there with all those women why
doesn't she come home with US and pay
us a visit? were among the dozens Of
queries put by the puzzled tots 10 their
father. who could just hold back the
tears from his eyes each time he left the
relentless prison and the woman who had
been torn from his side with those child
ish questions coming fast.
So the woman who has served eight
of the twenty five years of prison life TO
which she was condemned for the killing
of a man who had led her into the ways
OF misery is again familiarizing herself
with her little ones. They have changed
greatly in the four years they have been
cut OF her sight but the only surprise
there was for the devoted mother was
their size. BY photographs taken of them
every year by her husband she had kept
their features before her. but the photo
graphs had not recorded the healthy
growth that had been theirs, and the
old trick Of the eye in preserving the size
Of an object when last observed left her
unprepared for the sight OF her enlarged
offspring.
CHILDREN QUESTION NO MORE.
That was the most surprising thing to
me when l came home. said Mrs.
Worthington, the size Of the children
couldn't realize they were mine. Their
faces were perfectly familiar to me be-
cause Of the photographs, but to see three
such tall children in the place of the al
most babies that I had last clasped in
my arms seemed very strange TO me-
though everything is strange now Ny
children all remembered me. even the
youngest girl, now only II. The next
is girl Of "a and the oldest a boy of IS
They must realize now where / have
been, but they do not ask questions any
more.
4 feel very nervous since my release.
] was greatly run down while in prison.
Ones feelings, or at least mine. after
long period of incarceration. are that you
again. ] feel a buoyant sense of liberty
but il all seems new TO me, and 1 must
learn all about the world again, for
have just come into it. They treated me
very kindly in prison-for several years
] have been the trusty for Mrs Belle
Van DOren. the matron-but the dreadful
monotony Of IT all nearly drives you in
sane. You wish 10 see something new
You get tired of the same walls, even
the same faces. though / never liked to
see new one come in as some did. Many
a time / thought Oh If could only be
alone. where ! could not see anything or
any body. nor think of anything.
Il didn't expect 10 be released on Fri
day. ] thought my parole was coming
but not so soon. ] was all unprepared
and / couldn't fully realize my good for
tune until / was on the bus on my way
to Greenbrae. The other women all
crowded around and congratulated me
when the announcement was made and
threw rice after me when ] left. | was
almost dazed, and as the world had been
taken from began 10 unfold again about
me / became nervous. Even the build
ings looked strange, and was bewildered
when I got on the ferry-boat among the
crowd.
FAMILY is REUNITED.
Then when I walked UP to the front