A GIRL’S FREAK.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 65, 9 November 1912, Page 5

A GIRL’S FREAK.

o COSTS HER II DAYS “HAPI).’

“SHE WOULD WEAR ’EM.”

It was on finding a private of the Royal Horse Artillery fast asleep in a house at Leeds one morning that Mabel Walker was tempted to take off his uniform, don them, and masquerade the streets of that city, along with another member of the regiment She had not been long away from tin house when she was betrayed by hei awkward step, and next day appeared before a bench of .Magistrates for drunkenness and disorderly conduct, wearing the King’s uniform, and bringing it into contempt. Constable Comerford said that ho and another policeman were on duty in North Street in the early hours of Sunday morning, when he saw what appeared to he two privates of the Royal Horse Artillery walking on the sidewalk. Roth were in full uniform, even down to their spurs. One of them 'seemed to he walking awkwardly. When witness got up to them ho saw that one was the prisoner, whom he knew. She was using had language, and was staggering. He* took her to the police station, and the other person was sent down to the Chapetown barracks in charge of a regimental guard. Witness and the other policeman then went to prisoner’s house, where they saw two soldiers and another young woman. One of the soldiers was in full uniform, but the other, who was standing in front of a lire, was minus his nether garments, which the prisoner had on. They tool: the prisoner’s own clothes to the police station, and returned the uniform to the soldier.

Asked if she had anything to say, prisoner explained that “the soldier was fast asleep when 3 took his uniform and put it on. When I got outside I met another soldier, who asked mo if I was a new recruit. I said ‘Yes,’ and thereupon he walked down the road with me, not knowing anyth ng about it. Neither of the soldiers was to blame—only myself. I put them on just for a bit of fun.”

The Chairman said that the Bench could not give prisoner the option of a fine for bringing tho King’s uniform into contempt, but must Sentence her to 14 days’ “hard.” It was a serious charge, and ho did not know that there had been such another in Leeds befdro. On the charge of drunkenness she would be lined ss, with the alternative of an additional seven days.