The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-04-23


she been so proud Of her rcflcc-
/ ton in the mirror. Her eyes, ac-
ccnting the blue of the dress,
were sparkling and clear. Even
her golden hair, which often flew
about in obstinate fashion, fell IN
to graceful, lady-likc ringlctS fol
this special ommaSion.
II was the first real party she
| had ever attended She was radi-
ant with JOY. Everybody treated
her as if she were a princess
DOrothy'S father called her Gold
! locks" and told her she must
come to sec them often.
At 10 o'clock Mrs. Brown from
next door stopped in to see Doro'
thy cut her birthday cake. The
Browns had recently moved into
the neighborhood. Joan did not
know it, but they came from San
Francisco. Mrs. Browns eyes
popped rs she whispered to Doro
| thy's mother, and her voice car
ried across the room to Joan.
q. I'm positive Of it. My
father was on the jury. The Bar
rctt caSc-don't you remember 1t!
He was hanged at San Quentin.
Joan stood tranSfiXcd as Tho
whispers flew through the room
She watched Dorothy'S mother
bcc&on to her husband and take
him out into the kitchen. She
knew well enough what Mrs
Starkc would say. Everybody II
San Francisco had said it, too:
"Of course she's q pretty little
girl, John. But we can't have hcl
associating with Dorothy. It's II
her blood, you know, to kill: He,
| father was a murderer. There!
no telling what she may do :
So, few minutes later, Mr.
| Starkc offered to see her home
He was very kind about it. Ru
the party was not over. Dorothy
had not cut her birthday cake
And when Mr.. Starkc left her a
lhcr own door, he did not ask he
to come over and sec them again
| >
The next day, they left Seattle
They went to Denver. The!
could easily lose themselves II
Denver, where there were Sc
MANY transicntS. Transicnts lik'
her mother. who were thin ant
weak and very, very tired, an'
who came for the benefits OF th'
high altitude.
But they did not stay long l,
Denver. Their landlady boosted
sensational knowledge of murdei
trials. She kept a book of clip
pings. Some day she would write
n detective novel. And she nevcl
forgot face. "My but you lool
I familiar, Mrs. Barrett. I'm sur,
I've seen your face somewhere"
They went to Chicago. Chica
| 90 was metropolis of Sevcra
million people. And it was 2OO'
miles away from San Francisco
Nobody would ever recognize
them now. Nobody must, for Their
was so little money left. The!
could not afford another escape
And Joan's mother was too l!
even to look for work. 1t wa
Joan, now almost II, who found
lob in one Of the enormous de
partmcnt stores. She loved IN
thrill of working; she felt tire
mcndous pride in being able U
help her mother share the burden
This was truly a new beginning,
But Chicago, at the moment
was lacking in sensation. And tn
next Sunday, the pictures o
Shcila Barrett and her daughter
Joan, were splashed across tn
center spread Of one of the lead
ling daiiies. There were othe
children, too, "Orphans of tn
Racket" this paper called them
II was the story of what happen
ito the widows and orphans of con
demned criminals.
So the girls in the store rccog
nized Joan. Even the name wa
the same. That was one thln
.Joan's mother would never dc
She would never forsake the nam
Thomas Barrett had given hei
She was still proud of it.
The head of Joan's department
suggested that she seek anothe
position. He was kind, even a
Mr. Starke had been in Seattle
The gossip, he explained, woul
do her no good. There might eve
occur small thefts OF minor ms
demcanors. and suspicion woul
of a certainty fall upon her. |
was unfortunate-terribly unfor
fnnate-hut what could the stOr