New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-03-10
A TOUCHING INCIDENT.
BY ONE wHtb SAW IT.

teeu ths angry WIFI tlShet biie HrlF4n1 snow
nto the face OF 5ire pedestrian, and the biting
frost nipped with keenness that made those
Who were exposed, covet warm fires and feather
beds l5
| was passing hastily along one Of the most
fashionable streets Of the city, when as I ap-
preached a gas light, Esaw by it's glare a small
lad emerge from the door Of a splendid mansion.
holding under his arm something rolled up into
Il bundle then in moment after, ! vas star
tied with vehement cry of &c stop thief and
the boy trotted on, gazed eagerly to see
from whom and whencA the sound proceeded;
when the same voice, with the same words,
again sounded my ehr. 1t was a man-ser-
want, who had just dal'ted from the aforesaid
mansion, and was now evidently pursuing the
lad, which, together with the sound Of police
mans rattle, caused him to halt and gaze with
look Of surprise, az though at a loss to know
what it all meant 0.A#f N-a
'sThats him, keteli i'm " calculated the
waiter, Observing the WRtchman ahead of him:
upon which Charley seized the boy by the
shoulder, while the other took from under his
arm the bundle, which. being unrolled, proved
to be . dress-coat. sssiy masters very best
invisible green, as was . hangin' M the hall.
near the door swowN YOU little varmint We.
yer one o that craft AS goes about robbin' gen
tlefolks' entries, are yfr' Here, watchman,''
he continued, addressing said funetionary. who
was now joined by "a fellow Knight of the Star.
put him in the lock up till marnin', then, in
the name o my master, I'll appear agin i'm
Up to this the lad seemed paralyzed, but when
the officers turned on their heels and forced
him to go with them, while the servant took the
coat and retired, he began to realize his situa-
tion and burst into tears
"None o yer cryin','' my young blade, veil
iarn you what it is to sneak into peoples front
doors and steal,'' exclaimed one of the police, in
tone OF derisive triumph, as he shook him
roughly by the arm
go please let me go and get the coat and take
| it home" said the little fellow, imploringly, eI
didn't steal it, was taking it to the gentleman
that mother made it for; it's so dark lost my
| way, and thought that was the house till read
the silver plate under the bell knob; wasn't
| inside the door even, but I saw it was partly
open when got on the top step, and"
'No yarns, my little dove,'' interrupted the
other of his unwelcome guardians; ssqueer time
o night this to take work home, besides, the
hired man ought to know the coat, he says his
master sent him to get it and give it brushing
agin morning and just you putting
down the steps with it, he missed it off the nail,
and why shouldn't he suspect yeu when he saw
you with it under your arm'' continued he,
with a taunting sneer
'sIndeed, sir.'' returned the boy, crying as if
| his little heart would break, :. mothers sick;
| the reason she didn't send it sooner, she's so
weak she couldn't even press it with the iron; if
she had, the gentleman would have seen it was
a new coat; she hurried to get it done tonight,
| though had to prop her up with pillow, and
hold the candle for her: we've had scarcely any
thing to eat all day, and she told me if got
paid, to stop at Dutch Georges meat shop, be-
| cause be keeps open till twelve, and sells most
everything, and buy chop and loaf of bread,
and three cents worth of wood for the doctor said
she must have some mutton broth to strengthen
| her or she might be taken from us -
81 say, Davy, the cubs good at spinnin', amt
| he ~ exclaimed one of the watchmen, with n
| brutal Indifference tothe child's touching appeal
s'Old bird at the business, in course, replied
his companion; s' but we'll cage him eomforta-
Bile. I'll warrant" -.g,..s
At this he again broke out in pitiabe cry,
beseeching them to let him go back and get the
coat, and proceed on his errand; but all to no
purpose 5- U.- trt
As they came near gas-light, l approached
sufficiently to get a glimpse Of his countenance,
which displayed tehrs of agony rolling down
his cheeks, while heard the words, '' my poor
mother in a smothered tone, escape his lips.
There was something in his features, though
seen but impertectly, which seemed to more than
half convince ME the child had been accused
falsely. | felt novel,
ssGentlemen sail l. addressing them mildly,
:" there may be some mistake in this affair !;
would it not be better to try and ascertain first
whether the boys statements be true or false ~
ssThat'll be tried to- morrow mornin' at nine
o'clock; sich fabrications are nothin' new to
u.s. replied one while the other, in a tone bor-
dering on contempt, reprimanded me severely
for daring to interfere with officers on duty,
npon which asked the boy where his mother
lived; at this the latter officer, in an oyerbear-
ing manner, threatened to arrest me if | at
tempted further interference: and before the
child had time to reply, they hurriedly turned
tofs 1,,,.J-,
doubts of the boys innocence, in spite of my
feelings to the contrary prevented me then from
taking further trouble to ascertain; but there
was heartrending tone in the lads cry, as it
died on my ear in the distance, which made me
return home with feelings of sorrow not unmin-
gled with self-reproach. The boys story may
be true, thought L. and this thought haunted me
through the night, as l tossed sleepless on my
pillow, wishing for morning for having heard
when the hearing was to be had, determined to
repair to the spot as soon as | had swallowed
my breakfast. So accordingly, when morning
arrived, after drinking my coffee, void Of appe-
tite, l bent my steps toward the Mayors office,
where, after waiting a half hour, the man who
caused the arrest the evening previous, made his
appearance, accompanied by fellow servant,
the former having the said coat rolled up under
his arm Soon after the two officers made their
appearance also, leading the boy, whose coun-
, tenance looked pale and sorrow-strieken in the
extreme, while his eyes gave strong indications
: of night spent in vented grief
l In few moments the high timetionary gave
notice that he was ready to hear what the par
e ties had to say upon which the bearer of the
D coat stepped forward and said, pointing to the
victim: s' have come to clear, not to convict,
4 this boy, yer honor. l will briefly state the
t case master makes practice Of hanging his
t coat in the hall near the front door last even
ing had occasion to fetch It, but when | ap-
preached the place where it usually hung, l
found it missing. while, at the same time, the
Y front door was half open, which convinced me
Mt the time that some one must have stole it, as
it had been hung there but fifteen minutes be-
f fore; at once went forward and looked out
| when ! saw, by the street lamp, this lad hurry
G ing along with bundle under his arm; | i'm,
t mediately cried ''stop thief upon which the
officer blowing to both, not being able to recog
} nize the real one> sprung his rattle and seized
t him, and was soon joined by fellow function
4 ary and then ! unfurled the bundle, youl
, honor, and felt confident it was my masters
coat, which | kept, at the same time requesting
1 the boys safe keeping till morning then re-
4 turning to the house, l hung the coat in the
5 usual place, but, Continued the speaker,) tc
D clear the lad. this morninp TO my great sur.