Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-19
= Some Human-Interest Stories By Local Authors =

Perhaps not; but they coulln,t ~,
blamed you much. II you hadSc ,n,nfs
they Alicia-wlen you think os dthu ~ ,il
they have done your, IT was st9 III art
sons way to fall into the verna o,Ik-
/ The other Alicia looked nm.s,' 80" !
They never done me no harm !, y,
said, with pitiful loyalty. - she
"Hav'nt they--Alicia?',
i He pointed to the sodden figure ., :,
table, its shaking hand trying 10 - b iae
flask his maudlin wits had nttsn ,nue
ed to secrete. iipt-
Don't you call that dirt for H.,
to let you have a father nm mn
that? Isn't 1t hard enough on n nns
70 nave mother who USE, ioa
the language heard when
came in? Why don't believe ~
! would like to repeat her words o%a.
even before us strangers--I thin, Ell
would blush to do it." He looked at tha
woman, whose leer of sulleu sh,,.
was corroboraton--and went on '"'ine
You seem to me u girl of snir,4
Alicia; and I'm going to ask il Won
don't think they owe you as much ra
spect as they owe us? II they aro
ashamed TO swear ana booze before ns
what have YOU done. Alicla--to maxi
them show such disrespect to youo
| Ihey owe you much more than anvnn,
else--thcy are responsible for your hs..
1ns--perhaps for your soul. What IRA
you going to say for yourself, whca
you'll stand for the dirt they're dom.
you? We can't help yol-~anl lba,,
never will-while YOU stand for It, We
gave them a chance-didn't wep va
told them II thoy would do better ana
surround you with the right Influences
we would let them nlonc--but for nj
that, and tho sacrifices you made, he.
| sides, they didn't care enough for W.,
to keep their word.
They amt been 50 bad as before,
said the girl with puzzled sullenuoss
| Bad enough, though. Alicia" sam
| me court officer. to show that their
| pledges count for nothing to us ami
! their natural affection worse than moth
ing for you. Nov, we might furglya
them; they can't hurt u.s. But villa,
are You going to do about It? They
Will hurt you terriby--and I'm afraid
irreparably-if we can't set you away
from their influence"
The girl whnpcred. 81 don't wnnta
to so away from 'cm Mister
But you do go. You go ON tile
street and to the cheap tIlenters, and
you told us that day in court, that the
night we found you going home alone
at nearly midnight you had gone to
the tleater alone, because your par
ents We're quarreling and you wanted
to get away
Y didn't have no place else to 90
said the girl. sulkily defending her
self" and had to go alone because
| didn't have any one to go with me,
That's just it Alicia. IF your par
ents are going to keep up this guar
relling, where will you go next time
to get away from it all?"
II never done no harm going to the
theater" persisted Alicia.
II believe that said Jnckson
believe you are a good girl" The Alicia
at tho door looking straight into the
others pretty face, drew a breath OF
relief. The pleased. self-concious pride,
at the mans compliment was almost
childish in its innocent evidence.
The court officer went on. ut is be-
cause / believe you are n good elrl.
that want You to have fair play.
You deserve a, better chance than your
people arc giving you Alcia--and we
must see that you get IT,"
The woman began to rock back and
forth. You'll be takin' her away
and not a soul to do the dishes or the
washn when me sltyatca come on ana
fathers down with his spells. What'u
We do then for us wonder. We're hu-
man tool and if she nades takin care
so DO we. You'll have that
problem to mate wild yer meddlin'.
She kapes house FOR us, does llliciy,
and if you take her from US, yc,ll have
to be furnishin' us with a maid"
She Uttered with tears strcamin:
from reddened eyes, and her maa
SroWled an appreciative laugh, sobcred
into half consciousness by the threat
in the officers tone.
Well discuss the help question,
when we dispose OF Alicia said
jackson gravely.
Where do YOU think you'll put l,rr@
asked the woman curiously
IN worried look crossed Juckson's Z.
brow
I'VE must see" lie said.
Shall YOU really take her away
asked Alicia, as they walked up tn
street
That question is distracting NE.
There is absolutely no chance for the
her in, She Is too old for the Found
ling's home, besides. they are crowded!
10 the limit. The one opening viii be
IN the way OF getting her work in some
household that viii pay her way. Then
here is the came QUESTIONABLE the in
fluencc be such rs TO help her to prog
ress? 4 mental position shuts her from
chances she might have il free
schooling. associations and environ
lnents that might nouriSh clf-respect
There are nine chances in ten that a
girl OF her age. unless most carefully
placed, VIII 80 out and away froni
homo for the charge and pleasure ana
variety that young natures craze
Is there no public on rharitabA
place of refuge where she might b.
sheltered till she is educated" asked
Alicia, alnazedly.
''None-as YET Our prospective re.
'uge-thc Detention home project-yen
still in The allegiance of pubic
ana interest
Alien gaspcd. To he confronted IA
Ter first humane venture with il prob
EN- so absolutely reasonleSs and hope
css, was beyond thought Tho thing
vas incomprahensihle. Misery power
y, drunkenness, Vicc--t had all seemed
IN unreal rpasnli to her-1to be blown
o threads by y few rays OF charity
was, instead a great tangible aud
nsistent sea. rolling and roaring about
ne to farthcst limits, its waves sweep
ng, and its treachcrous tide-rips suck
ng, human souls into hone lined
lepths!
The soft swish of sbufncd cards. the
noduiatcd hum of well-bred voices
he music from the orchestra behind lis
'anks of palms-sl seemed to Alicia
Ike so many files on her rasped nerves.
I had never been SO before-its atmos-
hare--as unnoVel to her as mir had
rought away n sense of pure pleasure,
'oday, new thouEht-currents iaved the
Id consciousness. darkening it with \
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