Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-07-14
A Female RefOrmeT
She Was Mistaken for a Villain

bulance surgeon had to rescue il with
a stomach pump have they had such
a time in Sixty-sixth street as they
had Tuesday afternoon. Mrs. Gas
kin's Billy vas the hero. A woman
belonging to some reform society was
the heavy villain. The reformer had
spent most of the forenoon listening
to a lecture on Duty TO Our Fellow
Men" In the afternoon she went to
Sixty-sixth street 10 see what good
she could do. The hrst person she
was Billy Gaskins.
Billy was clearly In need OF assist
nee. He sat on the front steps of
a lve-story tenement bowling for all
he was worth. His face was q solid
smear OF dirt. upon which tiny rivu-
lets had beer traced by the steadily
lowing tears.
20. o poor little darling" she
said. Are you stck7"
Wow! Wow! Wow" roared Billy.
To anybody else that reply would
have been unintelligibIe. but the re-
former understood 1t perfectly.
Why. you're not sick at ALL" she
cried. You're lost: that what ails
you. Come. let's go and find mamma"
This time Billy emphasized his
bowls with kicks and punches. but
not even that demonstration swerved
the reformer from her benevolent pur-
pose. Heavy as he was, she gathered
Billy up and started down the street.
At every step his struggles became
more violent. In the tussle the re-
formers hat went awry, her skirts got
twisted and her boa trailed off her
shoulders, but she forged v~aliantly
ahead, surrounded by an ever-increas-
ing swarm of hooting, gesticulating
children. : At the corner the crowd
vas augmented by a policeman.
Eli, there" he said, what you
doin' with that kid?"
Hes lost" replied the reformer.
I'm to find"
mo, he amt lost" piped a thin
voice beside her. de lady swiped
i'm. | seen 'er. Here comes is ma,
now"
"His mother" said the reformer.
Thank heaven"
She turned and pumped into the
sudsey arms of a barheaded woman
in a blue calico gown, who reinforced
by half the adult population of Sixty
sixth street, came pelting along in
pursuit of Billy Gaskins. At the sight
of the bare-headed woman Billy ceased
bowling and lunged forward raptur-
ously.
"Mam-m-mi" he ~gurgled.
The woman ~gurgled, too. "Muz-
zer's pwecious little pet" she said.
Did re massey CONAN steal muzzer's
kdarling right off his own doorstep?
Was she wicked CONAN, and shall
mamma smash 'er face for herr"
Billy Gaskins was too deeply en-
crossed in his own troubles just then
to give advice on that momentous
question, but his mother made up her
mind to do it anyhow. With a skill
born Of much physical exercise she
balanced Billy On n arm, while with
the other soapy fist she grazed the tip
of the reformer's nose. The reformer
squealed and jumped behind the po-
liceman for protection.
Say" said the officer to Mrs. Gas
kins, mo more of that. I'll tend to her.
Now, you" he added, turning TO the
reformer, come along with me-"
Where to?" asked the reformer.
'To the police station. You've been
caught tryin' to run AVA with n
other woman's kid, and it's up to you
to square yourself"
The reformer wept and pleaded. The
policeman, however. was obdurate.
Thanked on one side by the officer, on
the other by Mrs. Gaskins and Billy,
and followed by such of the population
of Sixty-sixth street as were not con-
fined indoors by extreme youth. old
age, or other insurmountable infirm-
ity, the reformer headed for the sta
ton. There the policeman preferred
his charge of kidnapping, in which he
was volubly seconded by Mrs. Cas-
kins.
This looks bad said the sergeant
to the prisoner. what did you want
with this woman's child?"
want with him?" screamed the re-
former. Good heavens, | didn't want
him. l wouldn't have him as a pre-
cious gift. He was crying fit to split
his lungs. l thought he was lost. I
was only trying to help. But it's hard
work to help some people. I'm not
going to try it n more. I'm going
home and mind my WI business"
c sergeant leaned across the desk
and nodded encouragingly.
"Say," re said, "do you really mean
it? If you 60 I'll let you 20. I'll let
any woman 90 that'll promise to tend
to her own business
At any other time the reformer
would have resented this insult, but
her spirit was so broken by her ex-
periences with the mob that she actu-
ally said: Thank you; | promise"
and then hurried out before Mrs.