The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1917-06-02
The Brand of
a Criminal
II Was Assumed Voluntarily
by q Society Girl
By r. A. Mitchell

persons who had been convicted OF
been discharged. Her niece. Madge
Ellison. a gay girl Of twenty one. made
light Of her aunt's efforts. having theO-
rics Of her own on the subject. Madxe
had been TO college; but. though very
bright scholar. her course was cut short
by her being discovered In some prank
which resulted In her expulsion.
Her own case Illustrated Tier theory
with regard to discharged prisoners.
II was horn" she said. with the Old
Nick In me and must work out my own
career IN his service"
''Nonscbse,' replied her aunt. you
were born to ease and comfort. Your
silly prank. for which you were en-
PEELED from college. was the result Of
exuberance OF youthful spirits. Cr1mi-
mails are usually driven into crime and.
once In 1t. cnnn0t get out Of II. A dis
cbnrged prisoner bears brand that
time cannot effnce. No one will en-
plOy him. md lie II driven to commit
more crime to obtain the necessaries of
life
II wonder" said Madge tboughtfuIIy.
"wcre discharged criminal II I
could get on"
TRY 1t and see
The words made an Impression on
Madge. "Try 1t and seer' The ides
would not depart. She was reilly a
girl Of great depth. Had she not also
been u girl Of feeling she might have
taken hold Of some one OF the women's
questions Of the day and made n hob.
by Of II. She was rather fitted for n
wife md mother, and the strength In
her of this instinct prevented her from
embracing any cause tbat would hold
her undivided attention.
But try II and see" would not down
Week after week passed. md a desire
to test her ability 20 get on with the
brand Of criminal upon her grew
npnrc. Meanwhile she WINS devOting
herself to society. finding II hollow
hearted md the duties 1t involved
tedious. Born for something more In
Keeping with nm nctIve brain and q
sympathetic nature. she tired Of PEG.
pie whose only object WIS to climb 80
chilly nnd malntnIn their position when
they rcnclird the top OF the ladder.
Aunt Isabel" she said one morning,
rive mndc w my mind
",ro whntr
"Tm going TO try II md see.'"
TRY wlint md seer
Tin going to take on myself the
brnnd of cain. rehounce for a season
home lncomc-ln short. everything ex-
cept such belongings as are givem a
discharged prlsoncr-and nee II ! cnn
mike n living without committing
more crime"
you'll find 1t next to impossible.
Even TO make your living as you have
been brought up would DO difficult: to
do 40 with II blight on you would be
mnny times more So
Nevertheless I'm resolved"
Very well: I'll help you to carry out
your design
Miss Wetmore took her niece to
prison where the aunt was well known
to the warden and told him Of Madges
plan. When Madge left the prison she
was dressed M woman OF low de-
gree md given the amount of funds
usually granted discharged prisoners.
At the prison cute she left her aunt
with the words. Il shall try the ex-
pertinent TO the bitter end"
Miss Wctmorc embraced her, spoke
n few words of commentator and en-.
cOurnWenieni. and Madge found herself
alone on street In great city with
tho voluntary brand Of a criminal upon
her.
In order 10 come Ms nearly as pos
siblc to the conditions OF the test 1t
Ind been arranged thut II inquiries
were made at tho prison concerning
her II should be said thnt she hnd
been sent up for theft nnd no more
Information should he given. One id
vantage TINT II real discharged pris-
oner would have In "A possible passing
ps time without her record being dis
covered Madgc found 1t expciient to
take upon herself. She was to confess
that she hnd been In jnli. but declare
that she was innocent OF the crime OF
which she had been convicted. This
advantage and disadvantage Madgc
considered would offset ench other.
She Ind not been taught anything by
which To make living, unless her cd.
II alton would serve that purpose. But
for confessed criminal to secure q
position as teacher was hopeless. Even
with clear record Mndgc was with
out degree. She knew nothing OF
the culinary art and could not Ill the
position of cook. 10 be n houscmaid
required no great instruction. and this
seemed to lie tho only field open to her.
Mndgc stood on the sidewalk before
the prison til her aunt, with thrown
kiss. turned u corner. Then all Of .
sudden the voluntary jailbird felt
sinking OF the heart that well nigh
caused her to forcgo her experiment.
Great henvens" she said to herself.
suppose I really were II discharged
prisoner
For the first time In her life she Ne.