The Washington times., 1920-06-27

But when the war ended and she was
dismissed from the factory Taylor did not
marry her.
And now she could not go home to face
the old grandfather who loved her so Well
With Taylor she went to Chicago. He
tried one position after another and soon
left each. He drifted steadily downward,
she following sorrowfuly in his wake.
Daily she pleaded with him to marry her.
He put her off with one excuse after an.
other. At last her love carried her to the
very depths Taylor became waiter in
resort south Of Chicago which. through the
character Of its habitues, is locally known
as the Bad Lands"
She went with him and to remain close
to him became dancing girl In the same
place.
Here she mingled with the vicious, the
depraved, the very dregs Of the great city
to the north. It is perpetual miracle
what a woman will do for love- No greater
contrast to the peaceful, clean life of the
big farm than the scenes in which now she
moved could be imagined. She clung to
Taylor and his promise to marry her as
the one thing left to her in the world
But this same love did not make her
very successful dancing girl in such
place. Nor was her face and behavior such
as to make her popular with the patrons.
gather himself together, marry her and
take the upward path to the old, clean.
honest life.
Then came the accident in which she
was shot by Taylor.
To the case was assigned Detective
Sergeant Harry Power, a big. tender
hearted, understanding Chicago policeman.
The shooting had occurred in an apart
ment where the two were living. Power
baI
the bed and blood streaming from her side,
Taylor was there, too. He said at first
. that the girl had shot herself She was
unable to talk and, naturally, her lover
was at once placed under arrest. But
Power was dissatisfied with Taylor's ex.
planation Of the attempted suicide, and for
two days while Viola Carpenter lowered
between life and death he hammered at
Taylor for the truth.
At last, the police say, Taylor admitted
he had shot the girl, but doggedly clung to
the story that it was an accident. He said
he had been looking for burglar and had
pointed the gun at her, thinking It would
not 60 of. He added they had been mar
ried for two years and we're very happy
together.
The girl took turn for the worse At
the hospital they told her she was dying
and she asked to see Sergeant Power.
ut ueLettNe Ielt n ptIbOUbl responsibility
in the case. He knew something OF the
mans associations. And the girl could not
be more than nineteen.
When he reached Viola Carpenters bed.
side he told her she was about to die and
urged her to reveal the details OF the shoot
ing. She considered a moment, then
asked for Taylors explanation Of the af-
fair. Power told her he had said II was
an accident and that he had shot her while
demonstrating what he would do to
burglar. She asked to see his signature to
that statement Power produced II.
"If that's what he said," the girl whis.
pered, that is the truth"
She lay for a moment in silence. Then:
Have you been married long, Ser.
geant7"
"Twenty-seven years." replied the police.
man.
"You can help me-" said the dying girl.
And reaching under her pillow she drew
forth tattered piece Of paper.
I'VE got this year fso'" she said;
&c, 1920. rp,.rp.,,op., r.,, Service. Inc.