The Washington times., 1914-03-24
By KATE WALLER BARRETT.

munity come first in my heart and
that / do not consider myself an
adjudicator Of the WRONGS of hu-
manity. but only an humble helper
in lifting some Of the heavy burdens
that our fathers have laid on our
shoulders. In the face Of such an
experience as mine ! can say, with
all honesty, that in point Of morals
the men in public life In Washing
ton are superior to men in any other
city that l know.
That there Is ample opportunity
and some excuse for a very different
condition, no one will deny. A casu-
al glance in the faces of many of
the strange women one meets In the
street tells its own story. We know
tho scandal monger had rather have
choice bit about. next to a preach
or, some man In public life, and that
political enemies are ever on the look
out for some Achillian heel which
can b. easily reached by tho poisoned
dart. That there are SO few scandals
in public life Is proof Of tho truth
Of my assertion.
One sees a lot Of mysterious wag-
ging of heads and elevating of eye
brows when certain things are men,
ptcious circumstances that would
warrant such an assumption. and in
the majority OF cases the foundation
exists in their Imagination alone.
But In spite of the truth of the
ABOVE. we recall many cases that
seem to belle these facts.
A Widows Tragic Story.
A young woman came to me a few
years ago for advice. She told mo
that for the previous two days she
had sat in the window Of her room
with pistol in her hand intending
to shoot the man who was the cause
OF her fault when :ae appeared
had been called out Of town and had
not visited her as was his habit
In his absence she had come to her
self. and sought advice from some
one she felt might help her to select
the best path. The man was promi-
nent In public life.
shall never forget the tragio
story. She was the widow Of q man
OF position from a Southern State.
and had been left dependent wifi
two small children to support. She
was entirely unframed. and, as her
family was prominent, she thought
that she could easily get q Govern
ment position If she came to WASH
ington. Failing In this, ehe :lad to
place her children to board and take
position In a hotel.
one day her baby was taken Ill
and sent to the hospital When she
went to visit, the nurse told her
there was no chance of its recovery.
She was returning to her place or
work on the street cars, and. un-
able to control herself. was weeping
bitterly. A man sitting near mo-
ticed her sorrow and asked II he
M
him the cause Of her sorrow. and.
In a moment, he was sympathizinS
and offering his help. The next day
he sent flowers and toys to the hos
pital and tnterceded SO that she
could be with her baby until it
passed away. This sympathetic
nnssnn TREND and the mother were the only
A short time after the second child
was taken i'll, and the doctor said
the only thing to save its life was
to take 1t to the country. Again this
sympathetic friend came to her as
sistance and the end was that she
paid for her baby's health with her
virtue. But in spite of the sacri-
flee. this child died also.
For months this alliance continued
between the man and the woman.
But one day the use1essness of the
sacrifice came over her and she de-
termfned that there was but one
way Of escape. and that she would
shoot the man and end 1t ALL
Tricks of Sympathy.
Had the girl found the right kind
Of friend this might all have been
saved.
Many persons hearing this story
might be ready to place all the
blame upon the man. II SO they
know little of the human heart.