Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-10

or read. It was only when she came
down with illness that a woman Of
the neighborhood, Mrs. Simmons, came
to live with them for a week. Other.
wise her father was the whole Worlo
to her-and a hard world it was.
She never succeeded in the least In
taking her mothers place in his heart
but he tried to make her do as much
work about the house as her mother
| When the child fell far short OF thai
| Graham met the lack as he met most
of his other problems-with his hands
Neighbors passing the Graham house
began to hear Susan'S voice n terror
and pain. It was a shocking thing
to hear, the cry of a child being
beaten by her giant father. Women In
particular found it hard to endure the
thought of what life must be to Susan
Graham. Every time that sound was
heard from John GrahamiS house the
village buzzed with anger.
Woman neighbors would say to their
men: THAT John Graham is a savage
brute and not fit for a child to live
with! Some day he'll murder her!
And If he hits her ono more I'll go
and tell him what we all think of It'll"
The men of the neighborhood were
troubled by the dilemma in which
John Graham placed them. On the
one hand their wives and their own
feelings prompted some sort OF pro-
test against the brute. On the other
hand any such course would inevi-
tably mean battle, though John Ora
hams size and strength would not
alone have kept his neighbors from
action. What troubled them more
vas the English traditional feeling
that a mans home was his. castle
and none had the right to invade it
without the sanction of the law.
"Then have the law on him!" the
women insisted. do you want to
wait till he's actually murdered her?"
Finally the insistence Of the women
wore down the men. The village con-
stable was persuaded to go to John
Graham and warn him that the law
would be invoked against him If he did
not stop beating his child.
Have you a warrant for my ar
rest?" Graham demanded.
mo, 7 only came to give you a
friendly warning"
"Then take yourself and your
friendly warning out of this house
before I break your neck for you'll"
Strong as the constable was, he had
no choice but to report the humlli-
ating failure Of his mission. There
upon the neighbors formed a com-
mittee and went to the local magis-
trate. Here they swore to several
beatings they knew John Graham la
given his daughter-cruel beatings, as
her cries and the marks On her face
and arms showed next day. The
magistrate issued a warrant for the
arrest of John Graham and the vii
lage constable swore in several Of the
burliest farmers among the neighbors
to act with him as his deputies.
The whole procedure took several
days, during which no more sounds
came from John Graham'S farm.
Susan was not visible, and even her
father did not leave the house.
On the fourth day after the last
beating the constable and his deputies
went to Graham'S house. The con-
table knocked at the door and had
to knock repeatedly, although Ora
ham was known to be within. Finally
the constable opened the door with
out invitation and the men saw Ora
ham standing in the middle OF the
room, white-faced, his eyes set in a
hard stare, the light in which puz-
zled them. Did 1t mean stupor, fight
or fright?
The constable. pronounced the charge
which the warrant had been issued.
Then the men saw something they