The San Francisco call., 1906-08-12

my mother will take It In q ittIs
while expect to be free. and am go
Ing to care for It myself"
She spoke with noticeable conndsncs.
I could not doubt that she really BE-
lieves she will soon be free.
While Mrs. Brennan talked she sswed
quite steadily and her needlework
brought her hands into prominence.
They are beautiful No society woman
has softer, whittier or more prettily
formed hands
They are one evidence OF the reans-
ment she uanistakably possesses. and
although she had been several months
in prison. they apparently had been
carefully cared for. The well shaped
nails seemed to have received much at
tention. Mrs Brennan is ehildishly
proud OF her hands.
| From talking OF her baby the con-
versation drifted to Mrs. Brennan's
childhood. She fingered over a review
Of her life on farm In central In
diana, where she was born. Hers was
evidently merry. sunlighted girlhood,
unclouded by any premonition OF the
dark hour fate held IN store for her
the hour when she would become the
mother Of child IN prison.
Memory brought back the sweetness
CT the childhood days which she en-
Joyed with all the abandonment OF a
nealthy child surrounded by the whole
some influences Of country life.
Ihose were care-free. happy days,
when Stella, with her brothers and sis
terS, went to the little country school
Her parents were respected IN the COM
munity and were bringing up their sons
and daughters to make good men and
women Of them. Surrounded by the
best Of home influences. her childhood
fowered into early womanhood before
anything occurred to destroy the even
tenor of her life.
When she was IS her school life was
abruptly brought to a close by an acct
dent One day in the yard at home
she fell. striking her head at the base
of the brain on the sharp edges OF a
box She was i'll during the winter fol-
lowing. and the family physician stated
she would never be able to attend
school again.
Later when she recovered her health,
the young girl did Office work for a Iiv-
ing. Her brothers and sisters also Sc
cured good positions, and today they
tions, while Stella IS brought low-an
associate of the most degraded pris-
oners.
But it is the doubtful future OF Stella.
Brennan's baby in which I am con-.
cerned; that wee bit OF humanity thats
has made it's first plaintive cry within.
the shadow OF those frowning prison
walls. It's future has offered an abuns-
dance of material for speculative
thought.
Science has given US It's respected
opinion that the results OF prenatal
influence are overwhelmingly cone4u-
sive. Murderous tendencies, declare the
wise men. will follow murderouS
thoughts. The mental attitude, and the
moral and intellectual atmosphere in
which a mother spends the months, be-
fore her child is born exert effects..pos-,
itively assert the scientists.
A frtghtful murder. public trial, at
tended with most trying conditions and
followed by imprisonment are the sum
of events which have exerted prenatal
influences upon the child OF Stella
Brennan.
What will be the fate OF this child.
thriving from the breast OF woman
who has passed through such an awful,
ordeal?
The physicians tell US that the child
may be bright, beautiful and attractive
and yet it's very soul will be. scourged
by the sins Of It's parent.
Stella Brown and her hsarthroken
mother, who hopes soon to take
the infant beyond the confines OF Still
water Penitentiary and devote her re-
naming days to It's welfare, believe
that the authorities OF the prison might
have shown some compassion for this
baby and saved It from the stigma OF
prison birth, but the kind-hearted war
den replies that he IS bound by strin-
gent laws and that he would have vio-l
lated his duties had he permitted ths
convicted mother to leavas the prison.
even for short time.
And IL was the law OF the 1and-a law
that Is supposed TO be righteous and Is
righteous that furnishes the picture IN
Stillwater's prison-that awful picture
of strange motherhood dct1bly suffertngi
behind barred windows. cautiously, as
she explains, dispelling her sorrow and
tears for the sake OF an innocent baby,
born to her in an evil hour.