The San Francisco call., 1908-03-02

LITTLE SOUTHERN GIRL
She was called Dixie because she
Was a daughter OF the south. Her
mother was an actress and her father
. circus performer. They disappeared
in the earthquake. The message writ
ten by the young girl follows:
lear Mamma Petersen:
Ihese sheets are for you can stsno u
any longer. II preys on my mind. ] have
teen deceiving you All 70 gain. l reckon---oh,
al thought you ought 10 help because l
was just q little girl, and IL ] had acknowl-
edged that I was grown up. Of course You
wouldn't have thought Il your place 70 help
me. Well, msmma. l am telling the Whole
.guth now. I am really ~ years Of age, nearly
20, and have been playing the child role all
nay life. My kiddlsh ways and looks have
helped me in many ways. IT is an art to
keep Young; ! hsye seen mamma practice
right expression her face.
almost the same as a thief. II stands
before me all day. Every day something seems
30 say. ''You are taking little childrens things,
faelr chances and opportunities away from
am. know have been wicked
haven't any right TO all the nice things the
Iodds have been giving me. haven't any
right 10 accept their money. ! not
minor and I have been accepting all these
Things that are for the children. ! feel that
I VIII not be able TO pay il back 1t VIII
take me long time and / can't stand to go
IN every day with the thought in my head
that an accepting sll these things that are
Oh, Mamma Petersen. 1 amNnot happy.
siways sang, cut up and on. but many times
! did Il TO keep from crying. II was Just
like setting part. ] have been engaged since
] first came 70 San Frahcisco, and you all
innocent. Mamma Peters, Petersen this this is the nrst
thing ] have ever done that was wrong.
! know should not have let you believe
I was little childish kid. II won your SYM
Pathy. but the devil hsd me. / was alone.
Mamma had left me when ] fell in with the
army people They took me for about Is. They
UafWrsllr didn't think LITTLE girl al Dr.
was engaged 10 be married so / kept my secret
ana let them think So couldn't bear 10
Them / finally got that I couldn't 30 up
there, Tor felt II was wrong and il made
n has been all rain in my life. and no sun
shine. The bsppiest days ! ever had were
spent with you. II was the only taste Of
home life I had ever had. When you used TO
come in and tuck Gladdie and myself into bed
81 night-oh. il felt so good. II Was the first
lime any had ever done It. and 1t felt as
though I really had some one to love me-
when j wss 4 little tot I was laughed at IL 1
expressed any affection for any one so l learned
10 Keep II locked up in my heart Some people
say ! sm queer girl cant help II.
= kid sister or brother OF else.
Instead, u was always work Work TO see how
much money l could esrn-the rest Of them got
drunk on It..
TUMBLER AT SEVEN
When ] was had my first lessons in tum-
me 10 be one. Wen. I was taught to dance,
aud tumble. / did small act with the giants.
y hen ] was s ! made my first appearance In
me ring ~ barnums circus-that was little
over IL years ago. I was then the youngest
member IN the opening ballet Of the show. In
summer L Travelled with the show. In winter
wnen they went into quarters 1 got engagements
playing kids parts, so you I had rest.
J went transforming IN the middle states with
sn Uncle Toms Cabin company playing
Little Eva. We were fnally stranded Some
seoa enure9 people helped Us. and We got out
our trunks.
Then for. one season quit the ring and played
N an open air theater in a summer resort. 1
maQe pretty good money, but ] never saw much
or II, snd my poor little body was so tired. and
weary that used 10 fall OF the bed and DIDN'T
SNOW whether was dead or alive. 1 went
back 10 the circus again. Once the giant failed
% catch me when jumped and I hurt my side
and was laid up for a year. We then went 10
sew York. Mamma got an engagement and
took IL easy.
Then We went back to Arizona. Mamma got
me IN one Of the concert halls. She had to
have pull because ] was only l6. The man
aeer Al Hsvener, was an old chum Of hers.
bt myself and ia the ballet. This was
N Tucson three years ago. There I met Mllt
he hsn. OF course / wasn't allowed 10 stay
there after my turn was This was be
cause. L think. they played roulette some
sIes' sIsGs IL the hah Anyhow | know they gam
One night as was leaving the stage door
me TN I had given him a curl / was fright
ened. for be took out his knife as though he
wss going to cut It OF. Milton came to my
rescue, and after that I always considered him
my best friend. The night before l left for
Phoenix be asked me II 1 would marry him.
with such women. and that he wanted to
marry me thought be was just asking me
ras % he b Bfss s 50 ass ssid then no But
corresponded with him and be has asked me
10 marry him since. That is how 1 became
engaged.
"OSLY ONE TO LOVE"
Oh. mamma, be was the only person l had 10
only friend and I do love him with my whole
heart / guess he VIII miss a little. Our
wedding was to come Of April the seventh.
For rhe last week my shoulders have ached
50 that ] have been nearly crazy. and have
been SO tired ] could hardly drag my feet
along. ] don't know what's the matter lately.
hut ] always tired I have felt Ike
would give anything 10 90 away for whole
month and just rest came down here be-
cause my room home whs 90 close that they
could smell the gas. 7 know It's wicked, but I
can't ask yeu ell 70 forgive If's too
much sad this way Foa viii soon forget That's
al ask-just forget.
Tie last week something seemed to draw
me 10 the meetings almost every night. Don't
rcu knew. the SRlvationists are a set Of
broad minded people. noble people. who sacri-
Zee everything TO help others. ] il
had asked any OF them for advice tonight I
would have gotten It.
Last night ] went 70 Harbor View. our old
inst sat down on the sidewalk and had q good
cry. wanted you bad IL made me sick
10 look around 70 see al the familiar sights.
have been so lonely. When / came 10 the
meetings ] wanted to talk 10 some Of the sis
ters. but they all seemed cold. OF course
can't blame them for liking Flossie better than
myself. she is such a sweet little girl that
love her myself. But. you see FlOsse has sis
iers and brothers and I haven't.
didn't 90 TO school Friday. / couldn't have
gone for 1 couldn't bear II 70 think ] was
sitting there when some one else should have
had my seat You know why I didn't 70 TO
the peniteDt FORM because ! was afraid would
tell sl q this and they wouldn't like any
more. Sometimes have had TO dig my nails in
ns hands. ] have often enTied Gussie Flossie
and the rest They lucky.
Mamma Petersen. don't judge too hsrshly.
Nh. / bate for them 70 talk about me. ] have
been FQinE uF 10 dear Sister Jorgengrep
since you went away. She is so kind and good
I can't help loving her
am glad am Salvation soldier l
promised 70 stand brave and true to the flag
With the star in the center, the yellow, the red
and fhe blue.
Everybody has check. MS punched for
some port, yoa know. Mine says heaven"
PIONEER MERCHANT OF