The San Francisco call., 1908-08-23
DONLONG TROUSERS
AND HAVE HAIR Cut
Disguise Fails to Deceive Police
man and Daring Pair Is
Sent Home
Two Blankets and Clothes Brush
Only Equipment for Their
Journey


I'VE wanted to be boys said Lottie
Sutcliffe. She thrust her hands deep
in her trouser pockets, boy fashion.
and smiled cheerfully. Girls don't
have any fun
Girls who have to work don't" sup
plemented Nellie Hartford, and she
tried to smile, too. But she couldn't
denly, and she put the rough sleeve
of her coat against her face and buried
her little cropped head in her arms.
The two girls were sorry looking
little pair of runaways as they sat to-
gether on a bench at the harbor police
station last night and explained over
and over again why they wanted to
run away from home, and why they
had disguised themselves in boys
clothes for the attempt. Their faces
for they were tired hungry and, per-
haps. little frightened-were unmis-
takably those of two rather scared,
very weary little girls, but their clothes
suggested nothing but the envied sex
that can playNfootball. climb trees and
jump fences without getting tangled up
in it's skirts.
Both wore dark. rathersshabby wool
len suits, SuSpenderS. and small caps.
Lottier was fitted out in striped shirt
and red tie but Nellie had gone her
even one better. and wore the ever pop
ular red sweater. Their hair had been
hastily cut, and was parted in the acz
cepted masculine fashion, but neither
girl had thought it necessary to sub
| titute heavy shoes for the light kid
shoes that girls wear.
Lottie, who .visibly warmed under
the kindly interest of the big officers,
rather enjoyed the dramatic value of
the situation.
Me and Nellie have been working
for the Mutual biscuit company.' she
said, and we were both laid OF last
night. We had been talking about
liking to go up to Lodi, or one of those
places where people spend the whole
summer picking grapes or hops, but my
were girls. So we, planned to run
away in boys clothes and write TO
the family when we got there.
I'VE got the clothes at Salvation
army bureau; we said that we wanted
| to go to a fancy dress dance. They
didn't ask US any questions. This
morning Nellie and went to barber
Shop on Eighth and Market streets
and he cut our hair off. He was awful
mad because we wouldn't leave 1T.
Mine was pretty long and Nellie's was
pretty red color, and so he wanted
it. But we took it along and these
clothes in bag and went out to the
park. We took turns watching and
dressing, and we left our clothes there
they were the oldest we had, and
left the hair, too. Then we came down
| to the ferry and waited for the
o'clock boat and it was almost time tc
4 go on board when were caught"
! Lottie has no reason whatever fol
wishing to leave home, except a de
sire to widen her experience by travel
Both her parents are living, Mr.. and
Mrs. Fred Satellite of $40 Vienna street
and she makes no complaint OF their
/ treatment or of her home. The other
/ girl lives with her father. George Hart
| ford, a carpenter, and a younger broth
er, at 1914 Potrero avenue. Her mother
is dead and she spoke as If the lone
illness and responsibility of her home
! life had something to do with yester-
/ days ecapade.
The attention of Officer Robert Dover
was called to the two girls, who were
strolling up and down the pier, yester-
/ day afternoon. He suspected at once
that the boys clothing was a disguise
and asked them their names. The ques-
tion had the effect of bringing the con-
fession instantly forth, and they ac-
companied him to the station as if they
were almost relieved to be in some
body's care. Relatives called for them
! in the evening. Their only provision
for the future was pair of blankets
in large leather handbag, and care
| fully wrapped clothes brush, which
! they seemed to feel was indispensable
to masculine attire