The Meeker herald., 1917-03-03
The Brand of
a Criminal
1t Was Assumed Voluntarily
by a Society Girl
By F. A. Mitchell

crime. served their term In prison and
been discharged. Her niece. Madge
Ellison. a gay girl of twenty one. made
light of her aunt's efforts, having theo-
ries of her own on the subject. Madgc
had been to college, but, though IL very
bright scholar. her course wns cut short
by her being discovered In some prank
which resulted In her expulsion.
Her own case illustrated her theory
with regard to discharged prisoners.
~ was born" she said, with the Old
Nick In me and must work out my own
career In his service
"Nonsense. replied her aunt. "You
We're born to ease and comfort. Your
silly prank. for which you We're ex-
PEELED from college. was the result OF
exuberance of youthful spirits. Crimi-
nails are usually driven into crime and
once In 1t. cannot get out of 1t. A dis
charged prisoner bears brand that
time cannot efface. No one will en-
ploy him. and he is driven to commit
more crime to obtain the necessarles OF
life
II wonder" said Madge thoughtfully.
"were discharged criminal II I
could get on
''Try 1t and see."
The words made an impression OH
Madge. TRY 1t and seer The idea
would not depart. She was really n
girl Of great depth. Had she not also
been girl of feeling she might have
taken hold of some one Of the women's
questions of the day and made hob
by of 1t. She was rather fitted for
wife and mother. and the strength In
her of tiiIs Instinct prevented her from
embracing any cause that would hold
her undivided attention.
But try 1t and see would not down.
Week after week passed. and a desire
TO test her ability to get on with the
brand of criminal upon her grew
apace. Meanwhile she was devoting
herself to society. finding 1t hollow
hearted and the duties 1t involved
tedious. Born for something more in
Sseaning with an active brain and n
sympatRetic nature. she tired Of peo-
pie whose >only object was to climb so.
cially -nd lRaiatain their position when
they reaclie@ the top of the ladder.
"Aunt Isabel" she said one morning,
ave madY up my mind"
ITO whdt?"
I'm going TO try 1t and see.'"
"Try whft and seer"
I'm going to take on myself the
brand of jCaIn. renounce for season
home. infOme-in short. everything ex-
cept SUCH belongings as are given
discharg ed prisoner-and see IL can
make Ia living without committing
more crime"
you'll find 1t next to impossible.
Even to make your living as you have
been brought up would be difficult; to
do so with blight on you would be
many times more So"
Nevertheless I'm resolved"
Very well; I'll help you to carry out
your design
Miss Wetmore took her niece to a
prison where the aunt was well known
to the warden and told him of Madge's
plan. When Madge left the prison she
was dressed us woman OF low de-
usually granted discharged prisoners.
AT the prison gate she left her aunt
with the words. II shall try the ex-
pertinent to the bitter end"
Miss Wetmore embraced her, spoke
a few words of commentator and ell
enlargement. and Nudge found herself
alone on street in Il great city with
the voluntary brand of criminal upop
her.
In order to come as nearly as pos
sible to the conditions of the test 1t
had been arranged that if inquiries
We're made at the prison concerning
her it should be said that she had
been sent up for theft and no more
Information should be given. one I'D
vantage that Il real discharged pris-
oner would have in a possible passing
of time without her record being dis
covered Madge found 1t expedient to
take upon herself She was to confess
that she Ind been in Jail. but declare
that she was innocent of the crime of
which she had been convicted. This
advantage and disadvantage Madge
considered would Offset each other.
She haG not been taught anything by
which to make a living. unless her ed
ucation would serve that purpose. But
for confessed criminal to secure q
position MS teacher was hopeless. Even
with n clear record Madge was with
out degree. She knew nothing of
the culinary art and could not fill the
position of cook. To be a housemaid
required no great instruction. and this
seemed to lie the only field open to her.
Madse stood on the sidewalk before
the prison till her aunt. with thrown
kiss. turned corner. Then all Of a
sudden the voluntary jailbird felt a
sinking of the heart that well nigh
caused her to forego her experiment.
Great heavens" she said to herself.
Suppose | really We're Il discharged
prisoner!'
For the first time in her life she re-
allied the very great difference in the