The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-05-21
IL Army Rules Will Allow
Soldier to Right Her
Wrong.

- released from the United =
= States army that he may =
= right the wrong he has heaped .
. upon Ruth Harris, who, as .
simple country, he betrayed. .
. The protection Of his name .
- for her and her unborn child .
x seems to be all that will save .
= her from the depths. .
y y 80 80 <<<< >>><> .
II Today she is in deepest despair
and rough, immodest speeches she
learned after she took the wrong
step intersperce her conversations.
'She was rolling cirgaret, another
penalty of her error, when she met
"a reporter at the door of her cell in
Che city Jail this morning. In a
pocket of her loose fitting waist
was a crumpled handful of cigaret
'papers and a package of tobacco.
Her face plainly showed the
traces of weeping and dependency
and her soft, grayish eyes were
tear dimmed and swollen. She had
been nervously pacing the floor of
her cell with eyes downcast, while
ethers in the women's ward sat
about the concrete floor, convers-
nag and laughing about their con-
flnement.
Would I marry Wes-ley-now,
asince he has laughed at m-my
misfortune? Why, / would marry
him If he wasn't making dollar a
month l would help out with the
living. would work-wo,5 as
hard as l could, Off ! love him.
she cried eagerly. half question
ingly in answer to the reporters
first question.
But could you ask him to make
you his wife while you kept up that
practice?" the reporter queried.
with a glance at the brown cigaret
she held awkwardly in her plump
white hand.
"Why, | wouldn't ask him to.
would cut out all this rough stuff.
I'd cut out the booze. the rough lam
guage and I'd never smoke another
one of these cursed pills" she an
swered, excitedly, as she gave the
end of the crudely made cigaret a
contemptuous pinch and twist.
"rd be a good woman and as |
always was before | met him.
never drank or smoked till he
throwed me down and left me to
face the world ond my mother with
my disgrace alone"
If his discharge from the army
could be arranged, so he could
make better wages-enough to sup
port you both-do you think your
love, YOUR charms and your atten-
lions could hold him to his home
and your
THAT, | could only hope for, but
believe | could do all that. |
would do all in my power to make
our home happy. | would be the
happiest girl in the whole wide
world. | would settle right down
to business. make him good wife
and strive to forget all this sicken-
ing past and present.
20, how wish you and the Judge
and others could bring this all out
right. Even If he couldn't get his
discharge from the army. We could
get through II all right. for | could
support myself till his time is out.
All | want is what belongs to me-
the protection of his name
With this she turned away. Tears
were flooding her eyes and drop.
ping softly to the floor of the dis
NAL cell. She had crumbled the
unsmoked cigaret between her fin
gers and ground 1t to pieces with
her heel on the cold, hard floor
The interview was at an end.
Ruth Harris had ran enthusiasts
tically through her hopes for tho
future and the fond feeling in hel
heart had shone upon her teal
stained face, but now that she has
told all, sorrow and fear. perhaps
that all might not yet be well, over
powered her and she went alon,
back into her cell to think it al
over again. as she has thought I
over again ever since the conse
sauences of loving unwisely fel
a her.
- ~ Wesley Laisure laughe
',vnisfartnne hut vastal