The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-09
viii The Sin Of The
Father Be Visited
Upon The Innocent?
BY MEMORY M,coRn.


Through the huge paneled door the
thlng looked like picture, 1t reminded
one, somehow, of great stained windows
IN large city churches where pictures
Of the Christ child look down on silent
Worshipers
This hair was a wonderful golden--a
color seldom seen outside of beautiful
paintings, and 1t curled In ringlets that
resembled Jesus himself as little baby
II was dark In the corridors and early
afternoon shadows foretold swift
coming, winter twilight. Men, women
and children who had stood for hours
waiting TO pick up morsels Of the Nc
Nalnara trial scandal, gasped as the
light from Judge Richards courtroom
suddenly flared up throwing its rays
through the door and lighting upon the
head OF a two-year- old baby.
A nicely-dressed woman gathered her
fur, more closely about her shoulders
and shivered as she half whispered,
Who is She" to another woman.
The words were low, but they reached
the ears OF the Christ-like baby who
climbed from the arms of its mother
and lisped In strange baby language;
Use Annie Laurie McNamara--it's
my daddy In there" she pointed
through the glass door where Allen Nc
Namara Is on trial, IAN he's n bad
man--bad man; my muzzer says So"
and the child stared with great blue
eyes and nodded solemnly.
small boy came along edging his
way through the crowd, and tho baby
allowed herself to be led away 1t was
her cousin, n nephew of Allen Nc
Namara-his sisters son. Some min
utes later the two rode UP and down the
courthouse elevator. Always there was
the question, who Is she?" and people
shook, their heads sadly as they re-
celved the answer.
Already the child seems used to the
pointing out-the singing OF herself
from others, At times her great eyes
search the faces of men and women
who discuss the case of her father.
Frequently an old weary look that is
uncanny for child, comes into her lit
tie face.
Inside the courtroom she allows her
eyes to follow those Of Attorney General
Bates. Twice since the selection OF jury
and beginning Of the trial she has
tugged at his knees, and once she crept
to the aisle beyond and faced those Il
men who sit In judgment upon her
Daddy"
1t seems almost as II she herself has
she has a great knowledge of the inns
and outs" OF things, and as II she Won
ders how 1t all will come out, At times
she appears very weary. Then she
droops the beautiful curly head and
going honey" A the trial goes on and
on, though. she seems reconclled and
makes her complaint with less and less
frequency, but more and more often She
rests a bit on the corridor floor or raises
her little arms for somebody piease 10
hold her.
"Wednesday during the stained glass
picture effect woman looked AT the
child and said. "The sins OF the fathers
You know what the Bible says---,nark
my words-thcy shall be visited upon
the baby"
Annie Laurie looked Mt the woman
once and shiyered II seemed that
even then she was seeing the day when
women such as this one. would draw
their skirts aside and saw "pretty. YES:
hut have Won heard that child's historyP
why her father was--what was tt
what did vo,, say?-Apnie Laurie slid
her two hands over small pink ears'
sharply she drew her brows together.
Yes, there was a woman In The court
room who had cried--no, not a witness
not even, relative of accused or the ac-