The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1858-04-29

and come out Immediately after her,
"don' Z stand to talk to that girl. You'll
catch your death Here, I'll give her
these, and do you come along. You II
have 20 walk fast to keep warm this bit
ter morning"
He held out two three-cent pieces
They slipt from his thiCkly -glovod fn-
gers, and he left Anna TO pick them up.
Before she had succeeded in doing so,
he was out Of sight, with the young lady
pressed close to his side. Anna ran to
the nearest bakers, and bought a loaf
of bread. "You can't stay here to cat
it, Cir" said the bakeress, and she re-
luctantly left the well-warmed shop,
turned the corner in the Avenue, aud
sat down on a stoop. The bread was
hot, and after filling her mouth, she
plunged both hands into the middle Of
the smoking loaf, and pressed it to her
freezing bosom.
"COme, young woman" said a police
man, taking her by the shoulder; "these
are fine tragedy airs. Don't you know
you mustn't sit here?"
The wretohed girl rose and tottefod
away, completely overcome Surely she
had reached the depth of degradation,-
she had been "moved on" by police
man.
The gentleman and the young lady
re-appeared' "Theres that girl hang
ing about here yet" Anna heard him
say.
20, father" replied the young lady,
"she is eating a loaf of bread that
she bought with the change you gave
her."
"Woll, let her go home, and eat it
properly, then. She's not starving now,
certainly" he said.
The plato-glass doors of their house
had only just closed after them, when
Anna ospied upon the pavement a lady's
watch, dropped, doubtless, by the
bright, rich girl, who had just disap-
peared. She raised it, and held it a
moment in her hand. Within that
small, enamelod thing was hid food,
warmth, clothing and shelter. What
wonder if her eyes fingered upon it,
and her brain grew dizzy with tempta-
tion. Let us not attempt to estimate
that conflict, we who never have shiver-
ed, homeless and hopelessly, outside of
a rich mans door. Anna had taken a
step to restore the watch, when out bus
tied the tall gentleman.
"Here, policel police! my daughter
has lost her watch, stolen, think
likely, by a girl who-oh! here she is,
behind this post"
The watch was in Anna's hand
every fortunatel" said Mr.. Miller
But how hardened as well as adroit,
you must be, to steal from one who
stopped to give you kind word!'
believe me, implored Anna, "I did
not steal it, The lady dropped it."
"Nonsensel 1t would have been
shivered in a thousand pieces. You'd
do much better to confess it. ."
"I seed her around" said the police
man, ''nOt a quarter of an hour ago,
and told her to be off, but she knew what
she wanted to be at too we'll for that. "
go! be mercifulp shrieked Anna,
wildly. Il am innocent. can get
no work. I am starving, am perish
ing with cold. You will not even let
me warm myself by any of your fires. "
"Nonsense" said Mr.. Miller.
"Come along, without any fuss, young
woman" said the officer.
Anna looked from one harsh brow
to another. All light, all hope went
out of her heart Her hands and her
head dropped; and the officer half car
ried her to the station house. She
tainted away when she arrived there,
and they laid her on one of those beds
which never get cold, occupied as they
are by such a continual succession Of
dirty, nOisome Outcasts. There she, the
child of a clergyman, educated, refined,
spent the day and night along with the
vicious the debased, the intoxicated
The next morning she was marched in
to the Police Court, with the crowd Of
Wretches.
"What is your name?" asked the
magistrate.
She could not give the honorable
name of her dead father. "Mary
Jones" a blush for the falsehood dye
ing her cheek.
i'Its astonishing what number Of
Mary Joneses we see here" said the
judge. "Well, Mary, what have you to
say to this oharge?"
"I found the watch on the sidewalk,
sir, answered Anna, almost inaudibly.
"Found it? o, that's the old stOryl'
But her words were corroborated by
two boys, who had seen her take some
thing from the pavement, and Mr., Mil
ler declined TO prosecute the charge; so
the conclusion of the judge was, "You
may CO." Il seemed a matter of indif-
ference to her, so utterly broken down
was she. They helped her to leave the
Court, and Mr. Miller followed her
Fastening upon her wan face a look Of
pity, he said: "My poor girl, should
like to do something for you. What is
it that you want2'
"I want to be kept from losing the
next world as / have lost this"
"Here, go to my house, aud ask for
my daughter" said he, giving her a
card.
, "MargaNt, said Miss Miller to her
chamber-maid, after she had read the
words on the card, and heard some Of
Anna's hardships, "oouldn'tyou find q
room for this girl in some lodging
house? There must be many sucl