The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-10-13


hours, when she found employment in
a milliner's shop. Followed a blessed
interval in which she worked content
eddy, happy over the meager stipend
since it served to give her shelter and
food honestly earned
The police informed Mary's employer
concerning her record as a convict,
and she was at once discharged. The
unfortunate victim of the law came
periIous1y close to despair then Yet.
her spirit triumphed and again she
persevered in that resolve to live
straight She found cheap position
in a cheap shop, only. to be again per
secuted by the police, so that she
speedily lost the place
A third time she obtained work and
there, after a little, she told her en-
pIoyer, candy manufacturer in a
small way, the truth as to her having
been in prison. The man had a kindly
heart and he ran little risk, so he al
lowed her to remain. When the police
called his attention to the girls GRIM
ina1 record he paid no heed to their ad-
vice against retaining her services.
The police brought pressure to bear on
the man. They even called in the as
sistance of Edward Glider himself,
who obIigingly wrote a very severe let
ter TO the girls employer. In the end.
though unwillingly enough. he dismiss
ed Mary from his service.
1t was then that despair did come
upon the girl. She had tried with all
the strength of her to live straight.
Yet, despite her innocence, the world
would not let her live according to her
own conscience It demanded that she
be the criminal it had branded her--if
she were to live at all. She still walk
ed the streets falteringiy, seeking some
place, but her heart was gone from
the quest Came an hour when she
thought of the river andfwas glad
So she went through the long stretch
OF i'll lighted streets, crossed some rail-
road tracks to a pier, over which she
hurried to the far emo. where it pro-
jected out to the f1ercer currents of the
Hudson. There, without giving her
self a nom ent's pause for reflection or
hesitation, she leaped out as far as
her strength permitted into the coil Of
waters But in that final second nat
ural terror in the face of death over
came the lethargy Of despair-a shrek.
burst from her lips.
on the side of the pier a man had
just tied up motorboat. He stood up
in alarm at the cry and was just in
time to gain glimpse of a white face
under the dim moonlight as it swept
down with the tide, two rods beyond
him He threw OF his coat and sprang
far out after the drifting body He
came to it In a few furious strokes and
caught it
Then began the savage struggle to.
save her and himself. The currents
tore at him wrathful1y, but he fought
against them with all the ferceness of
his nature. What saved the two of
them was the violent temper of the
man. Always it had been the demon
to set him aname- His rage mounted
and gave him new power in the battle.
Under the urge OF It he conquered and
at last brought himself and his charge
to the shore.
Mary revived to clear consciousness,
which was at first inclined toward
hysteria, but this phase yielded soon
under the sympathetic ninistrations
of the man. His rather low voice was
soothing to her tired soul, and his
whole air was at once masterfU and
gently tender. When finally she was
able 30 stand and to walk with the
support of his arm she went forward
slowly at his side without so much
even as question OF whittier.
Joe Carson had performed, perhaps,
his first action with no thought of self
at the back of 1T. He had r1sked his
life 20 save that of a stranger. The
was at once novel and thrill
ing. Since 1t was so agreeable he
meant TO prolong the glow of self sat
1sfaction by continuing to care for this
wait of the river.
Joe Carson, the notorious forger, led
the dripping girl eastward through the
squalid streets until at last they came
to am adequately lighted avenue, and
there taxicab was found. It carried
an apartment house that was rather
imposing, set in a street of rambler
dwellings.
Here Carson paid the fare and then
helped the girl to anght and on into
the hallway. Mary went with him
quite unafratd, though now with
curiosity.
The two entered and went slowly up
three flights of stairs On the landing
beyond the third flight the door of a
rear fat stood open, and IN the door
way appeared the figure Of a woman.
ssWell, Joe. who's the skirt2' this
person demanded as the man and his
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