Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-05-21
MISCELLANEOUS.
From Howiil's Journal.
The Canker and the Cure.
ny sILvERpES.

DARON lHRASHEM was one OF lHe very
wisest and profoundest lawyers on the judi
cial bench to say nothing Of his extraofdl-
nary research amidst such ethic doctrines as
I relate to the origin Of evil (; TO say nothing
that these doctrines were always stated by
him so precisely and logically, that the mi
nutest link in his Chain Of causatiol never
showed a flaw 10 say nothing that he had
espied the very topmost bough of the goodly
tree of sin, and dug down, Gin his W opin-
ion) nearer 10 its far hidden and obscure root
than any other man to say nothing of these
things, he so viewed all reformatory law for
crime as twaddle from the humane school Of
philosophy, that had he had his own stern
viii, every statute and every law against the
criminal should have been burnt, and replace
ed by those two very tangible aud summary
processes Of curing evil-the halter and the
gibbet.
Thirteen years ago this very next Lent
term, the baron had gone circuit to the north.
His old clerk Rednot had gone circuit too,
and old Joe Bottle, who ptided himself upon
being the judges servant foriy-two years, had
taken coach that very morning to visit some
country relatives. None were left ia the old
dull house in the old dull square, but the
maid of all-work, and the cook, and the house
keeper, summed up in the person of Becky ;
for the judge had neither a grand house, a
grand equipnge, (for an old iobbing coach
had taken him down to Westminster, and on
circuit, for the last twenty years. nor many
servants; but simply a very grand library,
every book in notwithstanding TO the fully
united opinions Of Rednot, Bottle, and Becky
h knew By heart, from its first letter TO
its colochdn; except certain books on a GER
thin right-hand shelf Of the large bookcase,
at which he had been seen to smile so satiri-
cally and SO often, that they were supposed
to contain opinions not worth a farthing 10
the great mintage of the judges mind, but
were doubtless simple, irreverent, and un-
true. be this as it may-upon this certain
morning, Becky, whose simple heart knew
no bounds in its reverence and duty 10 her
stern master, was busy in the library, when
her ear was caught by the low voice of a
child outside the area-rails. She had at that
moment lifted up from the library table an
old fashioned massive silver ink-stand, and
round saw that it was IA wretched,
sharp-faced child, who probably attracted by
her cap as seen above the window-blinds, had
10 beg. Her kindly thoughts in "a
moment were travelling fast between the two
renee In her pocket and the hot-roll left in
he oven from Joe's breakfast, when the post
"a . wv ihB az llO Idll-uUOIs 1
t was a letter from her master, Becky was
sure, and all in an anxious tremor-for
rhrashem wrote but seldom when from
nome, and then only on some urgent point
she hurried breathlessly to answer the door,
with the buster and ink-stand yet in her hand.
Recognizing her masters stiff, straight
on the letter, and as the postage
was to pay, she, in the anxious absence of
the moment cot hou.p tho duStar nd ,batnI- |
stand o n.the step, while she dived down for
her purse into the hidden m~ystries Of her ca
pocket. The postman was leaning
carelessly on the area ratings looking down
the street and when she had stepped 10 him,
given him the money, and come back again,
the inkstand was gone-the silver inksiand
that the judge priced so highly! In the first
moment CT doubt and establishment she knew
not what to think but recollecling the keen
faced child, who but the instant before had
been in sight, she hurried from the door, and
looking down the street, and calling upon the
poslman TO follow her, saw the child, run
ming onward with breathless speed. The
postman's quick step was, however, a match /;
he seized upon the thief just as she had thrust
the inkstand beneath the ragged strip of
shawl that hung about a girl some year or
two older than herself. To half cry with 10Y
was Becky's first impulse when the inkstand
was again sate-to tremble at the bare thought
of the judges stern displeasure, had it been
lost-to almost sink in heart at the idea Of
one doubt upon her long-tried honesty-all
these for the instant were paramount; but all
sunk into mere nothingness, or rather were
merging into one feeling of womanly and
simple mercy, when she glanced down upon
the chlld's upturned face of terror, hunger
and pain.
You -" commenced the postman.
Had no wittles," spoke the child, sui
lenly.
These words robbed the heart of the iudpe's
honest servant of its last touch of anger
She said something about letting the child
go; but too late. A crowd had collected, a
policeman stepped in, and the thief in a few
minutes was locked safe in the station-house.
II was a so!rowful night, that, to the COM
passionate heart of Beck though her fire
was bright, her tea good, and even the barber
from a little street hard by stepped in 10 tall
over the matter with her. And she was still
moro sad the next day, when in her best
gown she curtsied to the magistrate of the
police court, and saw the child ia the dock,
more haggard and pale. The case was fully
proved. MY good woman" spoke the
magistrate, IN his kindest voice, IL know
your master would prosecute this case to the
fullest extent Of the law, but to what end p
Here is a child seven years old, or therea-
boats, without home, without one human
friend, and, great God apparently without
a name the scum and refuse of this city's
streets whilst yet a baby. If l send her TO
prison, she will probably come out only moro
confirmed In precocious wickedness ; or if
sent back into the streets, but to starvation or
something still more horrible-incipient pros
%titution. But were thele some one 10 save
by teaching, and"
Becky. the great judges poor servant,
looked here at the magistrate, and then at
the criminal child. please sir" and The
sympathy of our divinest nature justified it.
self, "I've fty-seven pounds sixteen and
sixpeEce in the Savings Bank, that Mr.. Red
not has the receipt Of, and just two sove-
reigns more in the spice box-so if a little
schooling might"
HMioht do mora than fha nrieon ~ H.