The Washington herald., 1907-11-20
BY HECTOR FULLER.

The courtroom was packed. Before
the bar and behind il there was room
for not one other individual Even the
attorneys, those fighting TO see justice
done on behalf Of the commonwealth
and those waging a defensive fight for
woman's life. were huddled together
in one corner Of the space set apart for
them before the dusky plush curtains
which hedge around the dignity of the
presiding Judge
The jury filed in and occupied its
seats. A great craning of necks here
and cries from the stern-faced men with
l"U. S. W." embroidered on their col
lars, of Keep your seats therep'
Through the windows, across the light
and air space could be seen the adjoining
corridor, its windows filled with eager
faces.
A curious throng this Nearly as
many women as men. The faces of the
men for the most part stolid. Indifferent,
apathetic. The women, of all ages,
babbling TO each other under their
breaths. Those that wore wells had
them lifted and wrapped about the bon
nets so that the view might not be OBJ
structed The type known as Fluffy
Ruffies' was IN evidence; one Of these
sat IN the front row. chewing gum.
There were elderly women with gaudy
rings. Over all there was tense, eager
air of expectancy
Suddenly the indirectness OF the
spectators was focused. for, silently,
into the center Of the room had come
the defendant, Mrs. Annie NJ. Bradley
she had been known as Mrs. Arthur
Brown; the slayer OF man who had
loved her, and left her Escorted by
an imperturable deputy she pushed
silently through the throng, sat for a
moment for consultation with her coun-
sci, rose with the rest of the spectators
At the entrance OF the judge-embodi-
ment of law and order-and then, un-
accompanied walked slowly and a trihe
painfully TO the witness stand 10 tell the
story Of her life and love
Love leads 10 such a goal as this
sometimes
Clad all in black. save for tiny rufie
OF lace about her troat Mrs. Annie NJ.
Bradley Is a rather unattractive, intense
~ pitiful figure A slight, undersized
body, trembling more than little and
yet bearing herself-this lone woman
with conspicuous bravery Net an un-
pleasant face, nor unkindly but the skin
Is Sallow and pale, the lips. thin and
tense, are ashen grey; the eyes. often
cast down. are, when they look ont upon
the sea Of faces. lusterless and dull.
1t Is pitiful 10 see a woman just from
prison, for there she has so few of the
opportunities that her free sisters have
.of making the best OF her charms. Mrs.
Bradley's hair Is struggling about her
face; her hat IS not on straight: her
clothes, good in themselves, show the
need of care Be sure these things are
marked by the women in the throng.
The Fluffy Rufles. chewing gum in the
front row, comments on them to her
neighbor. a low-browed gentleman in a
red neck cravat
Mrs. Bradley holds herself well to-
gether rs she becomes seated she
Smooths her skirts before her as well as
may be- she looks about pathetically with
something of the agony that one sees in
the CLASSY eyes Of a shot fawn Ii Is
only when, conscious for a moment that
her hair IS untidy and she tries to bring
It under some control. that one notices
that the slender, attenuated fingers are
trembling. She seems 20 realize it. too. as
stray lock will not stay off her face
and the thin. but mobile lips quiver in
sympathy
1t Is kindly, tender voice that hurls
the questions at her from the counsels'
table. 1t IS with an heroic effort that
she answers IN a voice that is evidently
weak, but which she bravely tries TO
make audible Il Is clear voice. polish
ed; the voice OF woman Of culture. and
the language in which her answers are
phrased or her pitiful story told. IS well
chosen, good English, displaying wide
vocabulary.
As the minutes wear OF the voice
grows stronger, and as she. sitting so
isolated there above the heads of the
crowd, loses self-consciousness, and.
mercltully perhaps, loses for a time the
dreadful memory Of where she is or
what her presence here means. the
deadly pallor fades away: color comes
INTO the lips and steals into the cheeks
and as she. for time. loses her
self IN the memories Of the past when
love was her portion and self-sacri6ce
and maternity, the little woman becomes