Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-08-13
BY LAUREL c. THAYER.
City Court Probation officer

1t was circus day in Renton. Groups
of gayly dressed children, cIingins to the
hands Of fond parents. were seeking the
best places from which 10 see the parade.
HARRISON Co. had advertised a sale
on plows; Fochtman's were featuring
summer silks. But curbstone was more
popular than store.
Suddenly. the terrified shrek Of e.
womn's voice pierced the courthouse
square. The crowd fell back IN horror
Wriggliug, writhing in stealthy silence.
snake was making its way down the
village street.
Brooms. clubs, canes, stones oozed out
Of earth and air. Women left their house
work: clerks forgot their preparations
for circus day trade; stores were de-
serted while the concerted attack on the
hideous cause Of the commotion went
forward.
There was a sudden hush and then the
cheer Of small boys. The snake was
dead.
This week. girl Of 20. inst dismissed
from city court returned to the lodging
house where a girl friend had allowed
her 10 share her room.
] She had entered and gone upstairs IN
announced.
ais that Nary" sang out a furry
voice from the hall fellow.
Yes it's me-" a young voice replied.
We'll, you can't come back here. And
don't you come into my house again
without ringing the bell"
The rope handle on the old black suit
case into which worn. dicarded clothing
was thrown, was almost unequal to the
strain.
WHILE MARY
PACKS HER GRIP.
While Mary is packing her few be-
Iong'ngs-all she possesses in this world
can be packed II a suitcase-let US re
call o. Henry's description Of similar
third floor back"
"Ons by one" says this prophet of
the four million, "as the characters Of a
cryptograph become explicit. the little
signs left by the furnished rooms pro
cession. developed a significance. The
threadbare space in front Of the dresser
told that lovely woman had msrched In
the throng. Tiny fnger-prints on the
wall spoke of little prisoners trying TO
feel their way TO sun and air. splat
ter stain raging Ike the shadow Of
bursting bomb witnessed where a hurled
glass or bottle had splintered with its
contents against the wall. 1t seemed
that the succession Of jewellers in the
furnished room had turned fn fury-per
haps tempted beyond fort earanee by its
garish cOldness-and wreaked upon ii
their passions. The furniture was
Clipped and bruised the couch. dis
torted by bursting springs. seemed
horrible monster that had been slain
during the stress Of some grotesque con-
vuisions. Some more potent upheaval
had cloven a great slice from the man
tel Each plank IN the floor owned its
particular cant and shrek as from sep
arate and individual agony. II seemed
Incredible that all this malice and in
fury had been wrought upon the ruins
by those who had called e for a time
their home: and yet it may have baen the
cheated home instinct surviving blindly
the resentful rage at false household
gods that had kindled their wrath. A
hut that Is our own we can sweep and
adorn and cherish"
JUST BATTERED
SUITCASE.
All that Mary had to cherish was n
battered suitcase.
II was 80 and no place to sleep that
night. And not q penny in her pocket.
The walk TO the car gave opportunity
for the necessary questioning by an
older woman who had accompanied her
from the court.
panion asked.
Dead"
"And you father?"
81 don't know"
"How do you happen to be in Indian
apolis7''
There was the uncOncerned smile of
the irresponsible. as the girl replied:
''I ran away from the orphan asylum
and worked in a family until they got
mad at me- for talking to the ice man.
and then 1 ran away and came to Indi-
ansnolis."
"They put me In --, and 1 stayed
there six years"
The girl named a local institution.
'Then what happened ?"
'They kept me a year over the usual
time because I had no home. Then they
found a place for me in a private fans
lily. They moved away and l amt had
stiddy place since. 1 wisht l had
mother
A possible employer. a mother need