The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-02-06
KINDLY AUNT GAVE
 THEM SHELTER HERE
Starvation Wages of New York Department Store Kept
 Them Thfeadbare.
PARENTS FORBADE
 THEIR FRIENDSHIPS
Chafing at Drudgery and De- nial of Recreation They Resolved to Make
 Their Own Way.

s~vvbv girls leave home's was a pitt ful tale unfoIded this morning by Mrs Elizabeth Davis. of 7o1 Myrtle avenue, aunt of Clara Davis, IT years old of T9w york and protector of Miss EIiza- beth Quanlan of that city in wEose home the girls were found at an. early hour this morning by a reporter for the Evening Farmer, after nation wide search for them had been ins tt- tuted by the New York police anu On Tuesday night Miss Davis. with her companion, Elizabeth QuinlanT or z9O Ninth avenue, left their employ. nent in the Simpson-Crawford Co.'S store, went to the home of Clara 54A. west SForfy-ninth street. and chang ing their threadbare back store clothes for such cast-oM garments of the older members of the Davis fam. fly aa could be found, departed They hld the garments they had shed under mattress in the girls room.
 The fozlowing morning a nation wide search was instituted by the par enks of the Quin1an girl, but IS years old, who they believed might have been Kidnapped or become the vtctim Of foul play
 The girls instead had ,planned the ea1ape some weeks, and immediately look train for Bridgeport to secure protection from Mrs Davis, widow of James Davis who some years ago.
 
 and whose treatment she said had made surh a contrasting impression thAk she had prevailed upon her ecH1-. pRn1un to join her. That Their flight WIS not z1iscalcu- lated is evidenced by the interest the local woman took in them. as she st once furnished them with adequate clothing to appear properly upon the streets and is now aiding them in securing legitimate employment
 .-e HR.- Fh<. wis to a reporter of the Farmer the life of shop-giris in New York city is 9he most miserable and degrading.
 ~Anu1e secured but $4 per week as erFand girl about the store Her eompanfou received about the same. They began work at $s.50 per week, and were supposed to live upon that. Tn the Davis family is her father, who some years ago met with an accident to his head and Is compelled liquor easily affects his mental at titude causing him to become abusive and to beat poor Anna The g1rfs mother died many years ago and her mtap- mother does little work.
 Anna would work hard all day and coming home was compelled to do the most menial household labor. She is young and wanted to receive young men in the household She was told that there was no time for that, and yO9nE sought to come to visit he was either roughly treated by the family or the girl was beaten or she was advised that he was not proper company fol her to associate with.
 Anna is at that stage of life where she sees the handsome clothing o1 others and envies them Why, he1 best clothing was such that coult not let her be seen upon the streets here and I had to cIothe both girl as soon as they came to my house There is enough clothing cast off by the older members in Annals hoRn, to provide her with decent street ap pare1- How can girls be expected {, remain at home and lead decent live if such restrictions are to be put 1pol their actions at that age2
 The girls tell me there are thoIis nnds in New York who are only wait Ing for the chance to run away. The. mre not vicious but parents are to- strict with them Although they ma. mot like the young men that ente the home it Is better that they nnee under the eyes of older persons thai khaf the girls should be driven to des perafion and Ionesomeness and go ou to the streets and the dance-h aIIs
 Prom what I learn of the QuinIa1 girls home life, 1t is much the sam ns Auna's. I have a daughter of m, pwn here She is the same age as tn Dtcer girls but she does not want t FEn away try to make her hom life congenia1 and give her as muc pleasure as is possible"
 Mrs Davis then told how the polio had this morning questioned her as t khe possession of the two girls an were satisfied that unless the Quin Ian girYs mother and father ir1sis upon her return, she should keep ther both
 Since residing her both girls hay daily sought employment in the fac tories They are of prepossessfng ar pearances and lack that air which Characteristic of the incorrigibIe The ara pleased with conditions in Bridge port and the Davis home and spea highly Of the protecting arm wlnic has been extending to them here.