Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-04
BY LAUREL c. THAYER.
City Court Probation OFFICER.

a Young girl to alight from the police
patrol at the alley entrance of the police
station during the war. They had been
instructed to be on the lookout for
young girls on the street after dark
This one had been picked up at Market
and Illinois street She was talking to
n beIl-hOp. 81 viii meet you at O'Clock
atr-she was saying, and then she felt
the strong imperative grasp of a mans
hand on her arm.
II was a sweet girlish face that
emerged strangely from the top of
mans rain coat as the three stood
few minutes later in front of the desk
in the matron's office at the police
station where women offenders are re-
eeived.
<Youth was there, but not buoyant.
,Njoyous youth. The eyes looked at one
with scared. suspicious look as though
they expected to discover enmity in
your .vetended friendship. The mouth
too was a sad little mouth. but the cheeks
were still rosy with the sunshine Of the
Kentucky hills of her home.
LITTLE PRISONER
Is ''FRISKED."
And then began the search. white
haired middle-ageT woman began in
gentle but business-like way TO investi-
gate the contents Of purses and pockets
OF a rather shabby skirt-a wholly un-
necessary proceeding for only a soiled
handkerchief and IS cents tumbled out.
The rain coat belonged 10 the boy she
was 70 meet that night at Indiana avenue
and Vermont street she said.
Where do you live" the natron asked.
No answer. The question was repeated.
helpless glance at the big officers, and
then-"Ann and are at the-hOtel. Ann
is my chum. She has % cents.
cIafad short for
"vagrancy."
SHE FACES
THE JUDGE.
AS this slip of a girl faced Judge
Pritchard the next morning in a court
room filled with men and women, every
city court attache recognized the prob
lem. She was pretty and young.
We faced a homeless girl There was
the Jail across the street. 1t would be
easy for the judge TO say "a dollar and
costs" and the sheriff would have another
boarder for eleven days. But would that
solve Maries problem?
Have you ever been IN strange
city with 70 cents in your pocket? No?
Then you do not know 1.-THE tragedy OF
the 10 cent piece" You do not know
how girls heart can bleed.
Marie was sent to the city hospital
instead OF the Jail. You always had TO
then she answered your questions in
=. monosyllables. Always quiet she was
pecially reticent about her.own affairs
suspicious even Of those who desired to
help her.
y SHE REVEALS
PART OF "EIER STORY"
Sitting apart from the other girls one
day, she was cOaxed to reveal part OF
her story. Il was born on a farm in
Kentucky" She said TO a visitor. who
had 4 daughter OF her own at home, 81
don't remember my mother. because she
died when 7 was five. Seven months
after. my father married a girl fifteen
years old. He was thirty-nine 1 had two
sisters and two brothers when he
married. Then my stepmother had five
children
did you have nice times playing with
the other children" asked the little
woman. smiling. No" was the hest
Eating reply. There wasn't much time
After the Homework was done. 1 had
to plow- I only went to school in
winter. Mother was tired and cross and
fused with us children. She never
wanted US to play" Bat how did you
ever get to IndianapoIisYr
My older brother ran away from
home. aud came here to work and I
came with him. and kept house for him.
We lived in two rooms. He went back
and left me here. He told me to get a
40 FoRMALITY
81 ABOUT MARIE.
Other girls were going to Fl. Harrison,
why shouldn't she
In some social circles Introductions
are an unnecessary formaIity. The lack
OF one is no obstacle, when Marie Joined
3 grOup Of strange girls at the Terminal
station, boarding car for Ft. Harrison
one vain summer evening. 1t was \
relief to get away from the hot hotel
Kitchen where she toasted bread and
received 81 a week and board. She paid
81 for a room each week. in the home
of woman too busy with her own af-
fairs to bother about the lonely little
country girl.
Continuing, Marie said: "The regular
cook came hack and hadn't any money -
II was several nights after the tragedy
OF unemployment had become real before
this child was picked up by the police.
Seventy-six cents. And lodgings and
meals to pay for The hotel would not
Keep her unless she paid. She and Ann
we're hungry. They must have more
money. Where were they to get it?
That is why Marie was talking to the
bell-hop. That is why she and Ann went
to the fort
''Oh, but" you say There was the
Y. ". G. A. There was the Government
employment bureau. Why did she not
so to them"
AN UNSOPHISTICATRD
KENTUCKY GIRL.
Marie was just from the hills Of Ken.
tucky. They don't have Y w. c. As
s and employment bureaus there Marie
was a child. To her, these agencies for
helpfulness did not exist She knew only
s the cheap hotel. and that she must have
= money.
As for recreation, she loved picture
s shows But the doors opened only to
those who have money! She must find
eSsome one TO take her. There was Ann,
M her . cents. Butt girls are not
4 given to treating each other to movie
81 tickets.
81 The day of Marie's release from the
s. hospital arrived. She knew most of the
women meeting in the, hospital reception
81 room. She knew they were there TO
make plans for her and for the others
Aemeless too.
n NHERE WILL YOU
8 AYE NOW?
Where will you live nOw?" asked one
OF the women, as the nurses superin-
g PENDENT brought her. Il haven't any
. place" was the embarrassed reply. There
81 was long silence. Then some one
s. thought of an upstairs room unoccupied