Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1910-07-28
LYING UPHELD BY
CHICAGO GIRL WHO
AIDED HER SISTER
At Times, However, She Thinks
a Falsehood Is Like a Drink
to a Thirsting
Soul.

Chicago, July 29,-"Lying is a sin
but clever fbbing is an art. A fib told
needlessly is lie; a lie told to save
pain or spread happiness is a fb.
The habit of lying Is a curse; the
ability to tib Clevcrly is a rare accom-
| plishment.
when the truth hurts and a lie
Soothes an ache, tell the lie and call
! a tib."
This is the philosophy Of Miss Tere-
! 81 Trcnnem, who concealed her identity
! under the name Of Marie Wilson, and
| whose countless "hbs' kept the police.
| the coroner and scores of newspaper
reporters of Chicago busy four days
and nights trying to establish her iden-
| tity and hourly added mystery to the
attempt made to murder her sister.
: 1t was to save the reputation OF this
sister Mrs. Amy Young, and keep hid
den the secret Of the latter's life with
! c. w. RigdOn, broker, speCulatOr and
| promoter, that Miss Trennem wOve her
fabric of "fibs."
lie Like Food to Starving.
II just resolved that l must lie to
| save sisters name from being used in
the papers with that of RigdOn, and l
| lied Just as fast as l could" said Miss
| Trennem.
There are times when a lie is like a
drink to the thirsty or food to the
starving" she said, and l hate a girl
! who hasn't the courage to NIB to save
another pain.
"Mother was i'll and her mind was
affected. The confusion which would
follow news Of an attempt to kill my
sister might have been fatal to her.
There were reasons why did not want
| my sisters name connected with that Of
RigdOn, and l decided to take the re-
| SDOnSibilitV to myself
II told a fib when | said my name
was Mary Wilson. | told another when
I said sisters name was DeufeX, and
another naturally when I told the police
that we were just friends who had met
casually earlier in the day.
| The demands came faster, and !
found myself tibbing at every word and
| thought. One fib called for half a dozen
more, until l was lost in maze of
falsities. But, after it is all over, l am
glad have told them, and l would do
| it again.
"Fibbing a Natural Talent"
Il have been to confession and am
| doing penanCe. l have lifted a great
load from my soul, and in the last week
| have learned some lessons of life which
never appealed to me.
| II have decided that there is all the
difference in the world between a lie
| and a tib Lies are the needless false
hoods told through pride, envy or NAL
| ice. Fibs are the kind little falsehOods
with which we shield others from the
| sting Of truth.
1T is a rare gift which enables one
to tib cleverly. and seems to be nat
| uTal talent. l would have never
dreamed that l could make all these
policemen believe a single lie. When !
| found them believing a hundred fibs ]
was astounded at myself"
Miss Trennem came fresh from a
! northern convent, where falsehOOds are
| considered crimes, and has spent most
| sudden realization that she was one of
/ the most expert fibbers her sex has
| produced made her big eyes sparkle
and she told of her achievement with
| the ViVaCity of a child.
Il have had a lot Of ideals shatter-
ed" she continued. Il had been taught
| that detectives were shreWd, discerning
| men, to whom a lie is transparent as
| glass. l found that they were easily
| deceived. and some Of them. l am sorry
| to say, seemed positively stupid.
Her New Mental Regimen.
Il also imagined a newspaper repor-
| ter to be a man who read peoples
secrets by some strange intuition. a
| man before whom deception faded and
| to whom complex problems were a
pastime. l found them easily deluded
| and CajOled. You may not know II, but
| | was in communication with my home
! in Evanston several times every day
| during all the time they were arguing
as to whether l lived in New York or
! Reno.
Il am sure that If my sister in the
| hospital had not taken the advice of
| her lawyer and told our names l would
| still be the woman of mystery"
Miss Trennem has laid down a few
new rules of living which would have
| Mortified her two weeks ago.
| when some one asks you If her hat
| becomes her, why not tell her that it is
| charming? she asked. IF you told
the truth and said that it was much
| too large, of the wrong shade or out
of style, it would only hurt. She prob
ably could not get a new one. If she
! did her taste might be worse.
Has Lost all Horror.
You know, l never thought of this
| before, but have lost all that horror
| of a fib. l remember when mother
| used to put soap in my mouth when
told story, and l thought it heinous
crime.
Il have come to the conclusion that
a clever fibber is a power for good If
the fibs are scattered about where they
will bring happiness. / thought it
would make my sister happy If could
| keep her name out of a scandal. l told
a thousand fibs and failed. But al
| most succeeded, and ! am glad
Now, do you blame me? Do you
| really think l did wrong?
Look through that window there at
mother. She is old, nervous and sick
| She loves us as we do her, and has
| suffered for us children more than
J either of us know. Wasn't it the least
| l could do to flb about that awful
tragedy and keep the shock which may
| have meant death from reaching her .?
For the first time in my life / have
| learned that lie may be as pure as a
prayer"
| FARGO, N. D.-Governor John
| Burke, of North Dakota, was Endorsed
as the democratic nominee for the