Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-10-08
THE CAMBRIC HANDKERCHIEF.


God receive the parted soul .r- ...
THE CAMBRIA HANDKERCHIEF.
In one Of the business streets of busy city
walked an elderly lady accompanied by gen.
tleman who had lately completed his education.
Being engaged in conversation neither of them
seemed 10 attend 10 anything besides, till the
crowd, pressing against them, caused the gen
tleman to look around, when he perceived some
boys, OF what he called suspicious appearance,
following their path.
"Ah, must watch my pockeis," he said !;
Il had warning when last here, of what
might expect in YOUR city. iIlrrl a.I
What was it p inquired the LADY.
Probably what is only common occur
renee. Ny Indian handkerchief was picked
from my pocket Sir, your handkerchief is
stolen, said woman. I looked behind and
there was 4 young lad making off with it at fun
speed. followed, and if my fingers were
not as light as his, my feet were. When he
/ saw was likely to win the race, he drOpped
his sPoils, so / recovered my property; and the
little rogue might have got of better than he
/ deserved had not policeman witnessed the
transaction and provided him with lodgings
gratis; and yet not quite so, for he had to pay
By hard labor for board aud lodging while he
remained"
And, doubtless, he came out of that lodg-
ing better qualified and better disposed to pick
your pocket than when he went in" 80
That is no affair of mine, Mrs. Haman.-
My business is to punish thief when | catch
him Let the chaplain reform him if he can. "
"a Aided by the Society in which the poor
culPrit will be condemned during his imp-ison-
ment !" answered Mrs. Harman "Ah! my dear
sir" she continued, how different is the end
man proposes IN the ease of an offender against
himself, from that which our Heavenly Father
designs in dealing with far worse offenders =
Main aims only to punish God seeks to con-
vert" 49,. .-.'.. E. - .-.---.... ---..--
e But yOn hardly expect me to stand preach
ing in the street to every little thief whose hand
l may find in my pocketsl' ----.r
"No, / DO not, But as We are all interested
IN the suppression Of vice, would have You
and all others alive 70 the importance of max
ing use of the means by which these poor out
casts may become respectable members of So
| elety, and, instead of handing them over on
every occasion to the tender mercies Of the law,
ende1YOr 10 place them where their ell habits
may be checked and their intellect cultivated .
"All perfectly utOPian, Mrs. HaEman, believe
me. Show me a single instance in which any
good fruit has ever been found on one Of these
I
desire the next tune my pocket is picked - ..
You promise me that, do you % said Mrs.
Harman, looking up earnestly IN his face. r-r.
| 81 may very safely he replied, laughing.
| "Well, when we arrive at the cottage, viii
tell you tale that / think will interest YOU"
This cottage (AlTs. Harmans resideRcel lay
at the outskirts of the city, and was soon
reached; and when she and her young friend
were seated, she began as follows =, 81 -...
a You may have heard from your mother that
was once in a situation different from that
which Lnow occupy that was, in fact, wha;
many would call wealthy. Bnt with this pOr-
tiun of my history 1 am not going to trouble
you. saEe only to mention that it was then the
circumstances took place which form the
groundwork Of my present story. had driven
out one day Ia an open carriage TO make pur-
ehases in the city, and was returning home
when had occasion to stop in crowded thor
Oughiare to speak to person whom employed
While doing so, / forgot that at the other side
Of the open carriage lay basket containing
some very valuable articles, and out of which
hung a csmbric handkerchief Having finished
my business, / turned round in time to see a
boy, apparently about ten years of age, draw
the handkerchief out, and be was about making
of with it when my servant caught him by the
ragged collar of a miserable coat, and, apply
ing to him some not very complimentary cpl
thets, was about handing him over to a
policeman, when something in the boys
countenInce struck me with compassion He
had not only the appearance Of extreme want
but when detected in the theft hung his head
with shame, burning blush spreading over his
wasted and pallid features. No, no, john
cried, do not give him up to the police. Lei
US try if we cannot do something better for him
than that
" IL was in vain that John declared the LITTLE
vagabOnd deserved nothing but the Jail
resolved to have my own way, and to make ar
experiment with this unfortunate child. | told
him where / lived, promisedhim good dinne
and coat if he would come to my house tha
evening. 1t would have amused you had yoJ
seen my servants face when he heard me invi
ting thief to my house and promising him
reward for coming, predicting that l should sOOi
have a gang of hOuse-breakers and that TIN
little viper would show them the way,
promised him to be cautious and not Jet the boz
see any of the house till we had proved him.
He came an hour after, and had not been my
self watching for him, / should never hav,
known Of his arrival for lie hung about thl
back door without the courage to knock. Mos
unwillingly the cook sent him out a plentiful
dinner, and / stood by while he ate it, or, rath
er, part of it, as he did not finish what he got
when | urged him TO do 50, lie asked leave {,
take the rest home. As yet / had asked hin
no questions, but now inquired where was hi
home Whether he had parents OF any family
living Where his home was he would no
tell; but he had no father, no mother, n,
brother, no sister; and, with considerable dii
fculty, l gathered from hs bps the following
tale.
"His father had been a laborer, was killed BY
fall from the scafolding the preceding year
His mother went out to work and earned mis-
cradle pittance which Just preserved them from
starvation. She had died about three months
before l met him probably from want), and h'
not having any one to look to for meal but the
owners of the house, one corner Of wreteheC
garret Of which he and his mother had occupied
These people would allow him to remain only
on one condition, namely, that he would d,
something for his own support Whist tha
something was you can easily guess, and b,
soon learned the necessity Of attending to then
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS regular street Pilfer
er Ifh he returned home in the evening empty
handed, he was beaten and sent supPerless Il
bed; and such had been his life from the tint
his mother died till LEANED his melancholy
story.
II was encouraged in my desire to take som'
steps to rescue HIM from destruction, by per
ceivinp that he was not vet hardened in crime