New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-10


side Of the room lay Lenas mother, brought
from the hospital. Next to her sat Lena's
sister, married and deserted. At the back was
Lena's father, old, very ragged and with the
unmistakable air of a veteran IN vagrancy. Be
side the father sat Lena's brother, aged q.
Near 10 him was Lena, Ia in years, three in
mentality. ageess in wofu experience. Lena
had been in the hospital. Her disease was as
bad as it could be, and she was 70 be sent ~
the state training school, where she might get
decent and regular medical care and, in the
event of cure, be fitted 20 earn living. To
this the father was Directing.
81 want her to come home with me, Judge"
said the father, whining.
"Why?" asked the court.
"Wel. Judge, I think that's where her place
is by her father. want to take cara Of her."
"Have you earned anything in the last two
or three years."
81 done my BEST Judge, to build little
home. Judge" In an alcoholic whine.
The sister, an intelligent girl Of %, then
told how she practically had supported the fam.
ilv since she had been 9; how her mother had
beped. going tout" by the day; how the father
had always mstreated the mother; and how
when she-the girl testifyng-was having
baby. the father cursed at her inability to work
and said: Another twenty dollars gone 70
hell" (She was getting 50 a week. Then
the brother, who worked in livery stable from
a. m. to D. m, he said, and made my $40 a
month" showed how there was 10 place Tor
Lena to 20 to. You couldn't blame Lena for
anything that had happened to her, getting
glimpse of the "home" influence.
Lena" said the Judge, "we're going TO send
YOU to nice place where you can get well and
have good time while you're doing It and come
back glad you went"
~ won't 90. so there. I amt done nothin',
an won't go, so there. I'm gon' with my
papa. An there amt nothn' the matter WIN
me. neither. So there" Lena's ignorant petu'
lance was rather becoming. She had good
deal of beauty. Her hair was ornamented
with some cheap combs, and on her fingers were
six rings-perhaps dollars worth. she went
on. 81 know a girl went there an she says
they treat you terrible. | won't go. So there
She 1.-THE sisterl said all that about ne because
she's Jealous because fella boardin' with US
took me to a pitcher show an she wanted 70 60
An she always tells lies dpOuJ ihC' .NI t''~tN
amt nothin the matter with me, SO there.
Lena" said the Judge, read the hrst tour
lines of this letter" And the Judge handed
over letter that had just come telling Of
the death of boy twenty years ola VINO nal
died the day before He was stronger man
YOU. Lena" said Ben Lindsey, "and he don't
90 in time to get cured and now hes dead.
! lena began to cry. II don't care" she SAID.
"Td like to die. don't want to live. So there.
An if 90 up there I'll hate it. So there
"No YOU won't Lena. You write me IN a
month and see III bet anything you'll Ike H.
II won't. III hate it." From the oacH OF
the room came the whimper or the latner'
Lena, don't be so sassy to the gempman.'
4 "Well. Lena, you write me in month ana
tell me how YOU like it and how you're feeling.
| don't promise anything, but If you don Ike
it, maybe we can fix it some way you do. You We
had your way long time; come ahead ana .e'
US have ours for month.
The hospital ambulance came for Lena
mother. AS she passed Lenas char, she
stopped to kiss the child, the first time mag
inc. in a long time. Lena melted and went
away. There are six or eight novels
in Lena and her family. Yet people insist that
go and rhapsodize about liz doz. Grand
CanonS.
Came then Myrtle, Gctatis -. colored. Myr-
ties mother was worried because Myrtle went
out nights and stayed out late sometimes, and
one night didn't come home at all, though she
had only gone to friend of the mothers. II
was a plain case of too much stepiathcr II
seemed Myrtle was a good girl really and
her mother was Overindulgent. The Judge
asked the mother to leave the room Now
Myrtle" said the Judge, your mother loves
YOU, doesn't she?" "Yes, sir" 81 don't blame
her. But maybe she's too good to you Yes:
sir. ! think maybe she is" "Weli, Myrtle, |
want you to promise your mother that you
won't ever go out without telling her where
you're going. Will you do that? And promise
her in front of me. And if you break that
promise you'll make liar out OF ne, Myrtle
because I've promised your mother that you're
going to do what she wants. And she's prom
ised me that she won't ask you 10 do anything
unreasonable. You don't want TO make me out
a liar, do you, Myrtle?" mo, sir" And
mother and child left the court better friends
than they ever had been before; and with new
understanding and mutual appreciation.
The "cures" are the rule; "repeatcrs' are
few. Statistics do not begin, however, TO show
the tremendous good that the Lindsey influence
and spirit have on the youth of Denver ana
their parents. ] defy anybody to sit through
day in Lindsey's court and not be convinced
that he is one of the country's great men,
Meeting men like Ben Lindsey and VIII
White is enough TO make man patriotic, IN
spite Of the railroad folders.
TASTED Jewels