The Washington times., 1909-05-09

thel young girl suited her step to that
of the two men and started toward the
window There were the usual ques-
tions of an interview-the cropping of
The reporter before he finds his oppor-
tunity. But sooner than he had hoped
there came a gentle flow Of sentences,
a protest persuasive in spite of the sor-
did revelations of a close examination
OF the woman's record, and a complete
understanding of little Billy Whitla's
persistent references to Nurse and, It
may be, even OF Jimmy Boyle's entire
sacrifice of himself for her.
'You will not give me any more
names, viii you? You viii call me Mrs.
Boyle. I know. haven't bleached my
hair DO you think any one would seek
to color her hair to make II Ike mine?
And 1 am the wife Of James Boyle. I
am not and never was Ann McDer-
mott. Please do not ask me who was
before / became Mr.. Boyle's wife. And
do not think altogether badly Of me
when 1 am gone. It's so easy 70 b. un-
kind TO a woman, and all the world
seems to like to be when once she is IN
disgrace. And that piano"-with a de-
predatory lift Of her hand as though
she were helping il out Of the dOor-'you
will make allowan ,es for it. I know"
Much more wa;; said, put the sub
stance Of il must be given later. The
reporter would have you see now that
slight figure Of "A young woman not un-
Ike that of a great Russian actress who
plays "Hedda GabIer," hear that voice.
as once he heard another much like it
called THE Voice OF Reason and
catch some faint impression Of the pity
OF il ali. the dreadful, wretched, heart
aching pity of It, as you reflect that
practically every word OF those terse
sentences must stand, II it stand at all.
against proof which would satisfy any
jury in the world.
All Her Life
Peculiarly American.
who is this woman, and what is the
/ influence that has brought her to this
shame?
Her birth and her opportunities have
! been peculiarly American. Hsr parents
were william and Kate Farquhar Nc
| Dermott. a Chicago fireman, and his
good wife. Her girlhood was that OF
nine school-children out OF every ten
clothes sufficiently warm, food .abun-
dant and wholesome. play with her
mates in the streets and vacant lots,
and always progress. progress, progress!
At eighteen she had power of mind
and education beyond either mother or
/ father. She had also a need for fine
| clothes and costly pleasures beyond
either. No doubt she had long before
| wearied of the pinch and strain in
| money matters at home. At any rate.
as girl just growing into her present
beauty. she set out TO earn money for
herself and became secretary to a Chi
cago business man.
! Money became easier in the Nc
Dermott family in the course of about
a year. Anna, or Helen, was ac-
cOrdlngly taken from her office and
sent TO Mound Convent in Wisconsin.
There she was 10 study musi, with the
sisters and develop, If she could. the
promise of her school days In the
year that Anna remained at Mound
Convent her head seems to have been
turned. At any rate, she went back tC
Chicago at the end Of the term. and
then. at the age OF twenty, entered
upon her career"
Pictures taken of her at about this
period in her life would seem to he I'm.
adequate, precisely as are those taker
In the coSSrse of the past year. Hel
hair. apparently. was black. Her eye,
seem larger. Her slenderness Is NOR,
marked. And none OF her girlhood ol
maidenhood portraits indicate her smile
In Chicago she came upon Franz
Parker. a young business man. What
their relations soon became is conjec.
tured but not known. At any rate. Tn,
two left together for Kansas City
where neither was known. private
detective agency has discovered what 4
believes to be sufficient proof that IL
the meantime, February IA. 1905, the gir
y had been married to Edward Schaefe