The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-08-06
nv Gilmore Meherin

BY Gilmore Meherin
"Ho! Downfall! You call 1t that!
1t was no more a downfall than mar
rage is and I looked at 1T as that
sacred. And it was. All the sin is
because it didn't turn out right and
I was fooled. You call me per-
son of doubtful character. But I'm
not. 1 never was. 1t doesn't make
me of unsound morality because L
loved. You don't know. You can't
judge.
my child had perfect right to
he. It had every right that God call
know. Only man could find 1t
wrong. Why they have to make laws
to create a wrong where none ex-
lists. And that's so! And what
difference is there between my child
and the child of marriage? What
difference between married emotions
and unmarrid emotions? Why don't
Won answer? / can tell you! Ho--a
fig leaf?'
Suddenly she laughed - half
sobbing, hysterical laugh. Miss ST.
monds blanched. She rubbed her
finger slowly across the envelope.
"This. is where our views differ,
Miss Bryce. You seem to think you
had a perfect right to follow out
vo,r own selfish desires and give no
thought to consequences. You dld
thing that if done by all would
shake the foundations of the entire
moral world. These conventions are
for the protection of the home and
the young race. If we disregard
marriage what is to become OF the
children of the world? Are they 10
be fatherless because you or others
will not wait for the laws sane
ton? Is it any justification that
vour love is sacred when it is at the
same time utterly selfish?"
The shot went to the heart.
tshickie was stunned and nodded as
though she didn't quite know what
she was doing. "Yes-that's true
the child shouldn't suffer. That's
the wrong
But she was desperate and rallied
even from this. She kept repeating:
"Tbat's the wrong" And there
went flashing through her mind and
every tortured nerve, images she
had seen Of these children; and
things she had thought in all these
aching years.
She poured them out now like
living fire. There was no stopping
her. Miss Simonds put up her
hand. Chickie flung her head back
and, kept on:
But that's the worlds sin, Miss
Sinonds, and not mine. The world
should not treat a baby so. 1t should
he glad to have them. 1t should
protect them and recognize them
oh, as a great gift. Then there
would be no shame, but a beauty
in the coming Of a child-no mat
ter who the mother was, or the
father!
And some day this will be, and
no law will dare to take little
child and brand it and make all its
life a misery. Do you think that 8
right? You tell me, Miss simonds
do you think that's rlght?"
Miss Simonds pushed her chair:
will you sit down, Miss Bryce?
You are acting very foolish"
IT say-do you think that's
right? Was 1t right that had to
go away and hide and pray that
NV child would die and pray that
I would die? AS though to have
a child were the ultimate infamy!
But it should be a glory. And
every girl who is to have a child
should be honored-"
st think you've said quite enough,
Miss Bryce. You are not aiding
yourself"
rHo-aiding myself-but say
there should be a temple builded-
the most beautiful place in all the
world: and girls who are to have
children should go there, and the
law should do everything to make
the child a worth while child. Then
MEN would acknowledge their chill
dren and be proud Of them, and
love would be recognized, as mar
rage is!
Hold like to know what you
think. Why don't you answer"
Suddenly she heard this uncon-
trolled voice Of hers shrilling. Sud
denly she knew she was defeated,
the half-won triumph snatched away
She saw Miss Simonds gather pa
pers on the desk and she noticed
that Miss Simonds' nails were pink
and shiny. like little petals.
she heard voice Of cold dignity:
Are YOU finished at last, Miss
Bryce? Or can you think Of some
thing else to say?"
Chick1e kept her eyes down. And
this second death Of hope was
frightful, booming thing.
you are neither chastened nor
humbled. am sorry to see this at
titude. I have a sympathy for you,
Miss Bryce. But you wish the whole
world declared wrong in order that
you may be found right. You want
to make your own rules and play
you own game, yet you demand a
share in the worlds favors."