The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-06-03
GO ON WITH THE STORY
By Gilmore DIeherin

Amy old time! Oh! Mary
such a thing to say! It's no crime
for married people to have children,
But they aren't crowding the world
out with them, are they? If they
have two, why, they have a family!
They're doing a great and glorious
service to the race
Mary grinned. True enough,
true enough! You win! But at that,
Chickie, do you think a girl like
Lily Tassman, or any one, for that
matter, has the right to bring a
child here with no care for its
future?'
mo. But it shouldn't be thought
a crime, should It,, She shouldn't
be stoned to death, should she7"
at is a crime, though. A child
has certain rights. Life isn't so
easy or delightful under the best
conditions. We take a mighty re.
sponsibiLity launching any one
here"
aBeing married doesn't alter that
Mary"
Eyes, it does. 1t gives two to meet
tho responsibility"
"Oh, Mary-suppose the father
died Observation-Disclosures that
then there'd only be one to meet
tt"
"well-you don't count on that
"a child has a. right to name, any
way. and to two parents"
"Oh, yes! And 1t has right to
money and food and education. Lots
Of them don't get it. And If the
father dies, we don't blame the child,
do we, and call it frightful names,
and say it has no right to liver"
She was straining forward now,
pressing little Edward-a fever in
her eyes. Mary looked at her intent
~ and the wild blood spattered
across Chickie's face.
She tried to speak. Her lips
worked. And suddenly she put the
baby on the floor. She leaned against
the wall and began to cry.
''Chickie! For the love Of heaven"
Mary's arms were about her waist.
Mary said, fearfully: "Chickie-why,
what's the matter?"
Nothing, Mary! Nothing. IA
terrible thing. I saw terrible
thing. Kathryn Armour hanging to
her bed. Oh-awful She tried to
commit suicide"
Kathryn Armour? Who is she?"
scYou know told you-you know
the new girl. She came to work
last month-you know"
"No-ycu didn't tell me. Hanging
to the bedp You saw her? Dead
why did you see herr"
'No-ehe's going to live. Oh, I
went there Just came from there
this afternoon. We knew-Janina
and knew something was wrong.
When she didn't come to work we
went to her room. We found her
like that Oh, can't get over It,
That's what makes me feel 50. I
didn't mean to tell you"
Lord! Oh, isn't that awful? She's
going to have a child, Chickie?"
YES, she is. She told me and she
told Janina. And then she got to
brooding over it and what her moth
cir and father would say. And what
all her friends would say. So she
tried to kill herself.
And she'll try again. I know she
will. But If people didn't look at 1t
so-if they would let her have it and
not think 1t such a crime, wouldn' t
that be better, Mary?"
Mary kept saying stupidity: Poor
thing You saw her? Isn't that
frightful-frightful. She's going to
live"
"Yes--and she doesn't know what
to do or where to turn or what's to
become Of her afterwards or of the
child. And she says the child will
blame her and hate her"
Eyes 1t will-of course 1t will.
Poor thing-too bad she didn't die
! too bad. Now she has to go through
! 1t all"
Chickie wiped her face. She stood
at the naantel and powdered her
nose. She said: Get me a drink,
Mary"
Her cheeks were white. They
were very white. She followed Mary
into the hall. She said, brokenly
'sYes-she would be better deadr'