The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1913-12-12
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ed. "WhO We're YOUR nalS?"

and over again. Her voice rose in .
wall Of misery. "Oh. why won't any
one believe me-
UNLESS YOU can control yourself
you must 20" Glider pushed away the
pad Of paper and tossed the pencil
aside i'll physical expression OF his dis
pleasure. Why did you send that
message il you have nothing to say
he demanded With Increasing choler.
Il have something to tell you. Mr.
Glider" she cried quietly. Only II
sort OF lost nay grip on the way here,
With this man by my side
Well" Glider insisted querulously
as the girl hesitated
When you sit in cell for three
months waiting for your trial Us did,
you think Il lot. And so / got the idea
that if l could talk to you | might be
able 10 make you understand what S
really wrong. And if | could do that
and SO help out the other girls, what
has happened to me would not, after
all. be quite 50 awful-So useless. some
how" Her voice lowered To- a quick
pleading, and She bent toward the man
at the desk, Mr.. Glider she ques-
toned, do you really want to stop
the girls from stealing?"
Most certainly do came the for
chile reply.
The girl spoke with 4 great earnest
ness deliberately.
Then give them fair chance"
The magnate stared in sincere aston
| ishment over this absurd. this futile
| suggestion for his guidance.
What do you mean!" lie vocfcrat-
| ed, with rising Indignation.
why" she said very gently. Il
mean just this: Give them a living
chance TO be honest"
"a living chance" The two words
were exploded with dynamic violence.
Glider found himself unable to ex-
press the rage that famed within him.
The girl showed herself undismaycd
by his anger.
"Yes." she went on quietly, that's
OIL tIiClt ~ " IL. NI!c lltIll Il liN INK
chance to get enough food to eat and
a decent room TO sleep III and shoes
that will keep their feet off the pave
ment winter mornings. DO YOU thiuk
that any girl wants 10 steal? DO YOU
think that any girl wants TO risk
BY this time. however Glider had
regained his power of speech. and lie
interrupted stormily:
"And Is this what you have taken
up my time FOR? You want to make q
maudln plea for guilty. dishonest
girls, when | thought you really meant
to bring me facts
1--WE work nine hours day" the
girls quiet voice went on. curious
pathos in the rich timbre OF il. mine
hours day for six days in the week.
That's 4 fact. isn't it? And the trou-
BILE is an honest girl can't live on Sc a
week She can't do it and buy food
and clothes and pay room rent and
carfare. That's another fact. isn't it,"
Mary regarded the owner Of the store
with grave questioning In her violet
eyes
Il don't care to discuss these things"
he declared peremptorily as the girl
remained silent for moment
"And / have no wish to discuss any
thing" Mary returned evenly. Il ouly
want to give you what you asked for
facts. When they first locked me up
| used to sit and hate you"
"Oh. of course"
"And then ] thought that perhaps
you did not understand that, if were
to tell YOU how things really are. ii
might be you would change them
somehow"
~ he cried incredulously. 81
change my business policy because
you ask me to-
There was something imperturbable
in the quality of the voice as the girl
went resolutely forward with her ex-
piuuaiiur.
'Do You know how we girls live?
But, OF course. you don't. Three Of us
in one room. doing our own cooking
over the two burner gas stove and our
own washing and ironing evenings,
after being Oh our feet for nine hours"
'T have provided chairs behind the
counters" he stated
But have you ever seen a girl sit
ting in one of them?" she questioned
coldly. please answer me Have
you? or course not" she said. after
little pause during which the owner
had remained silent She shook her
head in emphatic negatiou. And
do you understand why? It's simply
because every girl knows that the
manager Of her department would
think he could get along without her
if he were to see her sitting down
loatng you know. So she would be
discharged All it amounts to is that
after being on her feet for nine hours
the girl usually walks home in order to
save car fare. Yes. she walks, wheth-
or sick or well. Anyhow. you are gen
orally SO tired. it don't make much
difference which you are"
What has all this TO do with the
question OF theft in the store? That
was the excuse for your coming here.
And instead Of telling me something
YOU rant about gas stoves and car
fare"