The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-06-03
WHERE /
FOUND HER
BY WILLIAM r. KING
Copyright 1910 BY American Press
Association.

---%Nt
Walk along an important thoroughfare
and suddenly you come upon a wed
ding party just entering or just coming
out Of church. Proceed little far
ther and you see crowd gathered
about an auto child has been run
over and killed. sun farther you meet
starving mother with a sickly babe
in her arms a nurse trundling a child
dressed in embroidered and lace gar.
ments turns the perambulator for fear
her charge win be contaminated
One bright moonlight night ] was
walking over a bridge. The scene was
I pleasing, and I paused and leaned over
the rail to enjoy It, How fine it is.
remarked to myself, ito live in a
cityl By day there is the excitement
Of people and vehicles passing and re-
passing, the hum Of business and pleas
ure; by night myriads Of lights. with
occasionally the one great night lamp
Of heaven TO illumine the whole
Suddenly to my left down on the
water ] heard a splash. A moment
later a human figure came to the sur
face and went down again. A boat
shot under an arch. and man in it
dived and brought up woman, and the
two were hauled into the boat. A po-
lIceman ordered the boatman 70 pull
ashore While they were doing so ]
went to where he was standing
What were you doing" asked the
policeman OF the girl, who By this time
showed signs Of life.
Il wanted to die. why didn't you
let me aloneY
whats the natter?
mo home. nothing to do to earn
living, tired and heartsick."
"Well, you'll have to come along
with me to answer to charge of sui
cide.p
Policeman" I said, will you let me
provide a carriageT
Il can call the patrol wagon"
An empty carriage was passing.
hailed it, and the policeman, the girl
and | got in and were driven to the
police station.
/ must pause here in my story to tell
what l afterward learned Of the girls
history Some twenty years before
one passing up one Of the fashionable
streets of the city on a certain day and
hour would have seen a party emerg-
ing from church. A young bride and
groom were starting in life with every
prospect of happiness. The grooms
father was head Of large business,
and the son had been made junior
partner on the day or his marriage
A little girl was born to the couple,
and she was taken TO church bundled
in embroidered and lace garments, like
the child in the perambulator | have
referred tc, that she might be baptized
Then in a handsome stone residence
there was christening feast. with a
millionaire for godfather
That was the year before the great
panic Of 49, when one morning it was
announced that great business house
had failed and down went the other
concerns like card houses. The father
and son OF this story fell with the rest.
the father dying Of disappointment and
wounded pride. The clothing of the
baby girl from that moment began to
grow plain. then dingy. Her father
died, and her mother lived in want.
The child grew to w0manhood with no
remembrance of her baby clothes.
When her sun arose the sun of her
family set. Then her mother died
The girl went from place to place
begging for situation. but nobody
wanted her Then one night she stood
on the bridge The waters below said
Come. ! will give you rest"
The morning after the attempted
suicide ! went to tile courtroom where
the good and the bad. the unfortune
and the unregenerate, were brought up
before magistrate. In her turn the
girl was led in and placed in the dock.
she had no defense she simply said
that she had got discouraged and.
passing over the bridge on her way to
her dingy room which she had been
notified she must leave on the morrow,
she had looked out on the brilliant
scene. then down on the water. and
she could not resist the call to oblivion.
The downward slide in life. though
it had marred. had not destroyed her
comeliness. There was evidence of an
inherited refinement both In person
and bearing.
Suddenly a member OF the police
court arose and said that there was a
young man present who would marry
the girl If she were willing. He was
produced. The girl looked at him. then
languidly gave her consent What
could she do?
Judge" 7 said. rising. III you win
send the girl to some home where she !,
win be protected I will interest myself
in herr
The judge asked the girl which plan
she would prefer. and she chose my
plan. She was sent to a home for in
digent girls. and soon afterward !
called upon the matron and got her
charges story as have given it here.
looked up a few Of those who had
known her parents. but found there