The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-01-05
The Brand of
a Criminal
II Was Assumed Voluntarily
by a Society Girl
By F. A. Mitchell

Miss Wetmore, a middle aged spin
ster, was much interested I'm sociology.
She was especially given to helping
persons who had been convicted of
crime. served their term in prison and
been discharged. Hersniece. Madge
Ellison. gay girl of twenty one, made
light of her aunt's efforts. having theo-
ries of her own on the subject. Madge
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 her theory
with regard to discharged prisoners.
Il 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
were born to ease and comfort Your
silly prank. for which you were eX-
PEELED from college, was the result of
exuberance Of youthful spirits. Crimi-
nails are usually driven into crime and.
once in it. cannot get out of it, dis
charged prisoner bears brand that
time cannot efface. No one viii en-
ploy him. and he is driven to commit
more crime to obtain the necessaries OF
life"
Il wonder" said Madge thoughtfully.
were | discharged criminal II
could get on"
TRY it and see''
The words made an impression on
Madge. "Try 1t and see!'' The idea
N,uld not depart. She was really
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 II
wife and mother. and the strength I'm
her Of this 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 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 it hollow
hearted and the duties 1t involved
tedious. Born for something more in
keeping with an active brain and
sympathetic nature. she tired of peo-
nle whose only object was to climb so.
cially and maintain their position when
they reached the top Of the ladder.
Aunt Isabel" she said one morning.
I've made up my mind
ITO what?'
I'm going to try it and see.'"
TRY what and seer
I'm going to take ,on myself the
brand Of Cain. renOunce for a season
home. income-in short. everything ex-
cept such belongings as are given a
discharged prisoner-and see IL l can
make living without committing
more crime"
You'll find it 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 q
prison. where the aunt was well known
! to the warden and told him of Madges
plan. When Madge left the prison she
was dressed as woman of low de-
usually granted discharged prisoners
| at the prison gate she left her aunt
| with the words. Il shall try the ex-
| pertinent to the bitter end"
| Miss Wetmore embraced her, spoke
few words of commentator and en-
couragement. and Madge found herself
alone on street in great city with
the voluntary brand of a criminal upon
her.
In order to come as nearly as pos
sibe to the conditions of the test 1t
had been arranged that If inquiries
were 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 ad-
vantage that real discharged pris-
oner would have in possible passing
OF time without her record being dis.
covered Madge found it expedient to
take upon herself. She was to confess
that she had 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 had not been taught anything by
which to make living, unless her ed.
ucation would serve that purpose. But
for a confessed criminal to secure
position as teacher was hopeless. Even
with clear record Madge was with
out a degree. She knew nothing OF
the culinary art and could not fill the
position OF cook. To be housemaid
required no great instruction. and this
seemed to be the only field open to her
Madge stood OH 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 were discharged
prisoner EttErEt
For the first time In her life she re
| n. L. h.