Putnam patriot., 1914-02-20

II fa1r or you, MT. GllderE Was II fair of you to come to the court this morning and tell the judge that should be sent to prison as warning to others?'
 You knoww he exclaimed in mo mentary consternation.
 "l heard you in the courtroom" she said ''The dock isn't very far from the bench where you spoke to the judge about my case. Yes. heard you. It wasn't, Did l do it? or. Didn't be made warning to others"
 Again silence fell for tense inter val Then finally the girl spoke:
 "Mr. Glider" she said simply, ''as God is my judge. am going to prison for three years for something l didn't do Why did you ask the judge to seud me to prison?"
 "The thieving that has been going on in this store for over year has got to stop" Glider answered eIn- phatically. with all his usual energy of manner restored
 iffAtfa- AAtt " ifia.7'' ffFfA &'hNf hN- Mary Turner said dreariiy.
 "Perhaps not" Glider sternly retort- ed Hut the discovery and punish ment of the other guilty ones will His manner changed to a businesslike aiertnesS You sent word to me that you could tell me how to stop the thefts in the store Well. my girl. do this and while | can make no definite promise I'll see what can b. done about getting you out Of your present difficulty" He picked up d pencil. pulled a pad of blank paper convenient to his hand and looked at the girl ex- pectantly, with aggressive inquiry in his gaze "'rell me now" he conclud- rd, "who were your pals?"
 "l have no Ilals,' she ejaculated fu- riously< ''l never stole anything iB my life Must l go on telling you over and over again?" Her voice rose in q wall of misery "Oh. why won't any one believe mel"
 Unless you can control yourself. you must go Glider pushed away the pad of paper and tossed the pencil aside in physical expression of his dis pleasure. "Why did you send that message If you have nothing to sayf' he demanded with increasing choter.
 "I have something to tell you. Mir. Glider" she cried quietly. Only l-i sort of lost my grip on the way here. with this man by my side"
 "Well?" Glider insisted querulously. as the girl hesitated.
 'When you sit in a cell for three months waiting for your trial. as did. you thiuk lot. And so l got the idea that if l could talk to you l might be able to make you understand what g really wrong. And if 1 could do that and so help out the other girls. what has happened to me would not, after all. be quite so awful-so useless. some how" Her voice lowered to quick pleading and she bent toward the man at the desk "Mr Glider" she ques- toned. do you really wlnt to stop the girls from stealingT'
 Most certainly l do.' came the for rible reply.
 The girl spoke with 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:' he vociferat- ed. with rising indignation
 Why" she said very gently. 'i mean just this: Give them 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 undismayed by his anger.
 .'Yes." she went ou quietly. that's all there is to it. Give them living chance to get enough food to eat and d decent room to sleep in and shoes that will keep their feet off the pave ment winter mornings. Do you think that any girl wants to steal: Do yon think that any girl wants to risk
 By this lime. however, Glider had reeained his power of speech. and he interrupted sfurmily:
 And is this what you have taken np my time for: You want to make maudl:n plea for guilty. dishonest girls. when thought you really meant to briug me facts,
 We 9ork nine hours day. the yirTs atti,.t voice went on. a curious D. thos iii the rich tiinbre of it. mine hours day for six days in the week That's q fact isn't ifs And the frs'n- ble is an ilou..st girl can't live on Ssi II week. Sine rsn't do il and buy food and clothes aud pay room rent and s.arfare. That's another fact. isn't itT
 Mary regarded she owner of the store with grave questioning in Her violet eyes
 T don't care to discuss these things he declared per'mptoriiy as fhe girl remained silent for a moment.
 And l have no wi<h to discuss any thing Mary returned evenly. ''l only want to give you what you asked for facts When they first locked me up used to sii and hate you"
 -Oh. Of courser'