The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-04-09

4 or three gasps, sue s"tnoieu UP INC steps,
rolled her frost.bitten fingers in her thin dc
Bape cape, and went on down through the
broad Avenue, hitter thoughts Of man and
of God-may He forgive her !-shrieking
in her heart. The long rows of costly
houses were to her like Notifications reared
by hard, triumphant selfshness, to keep her
and such as her from sharing in common
comforts, defended by cruel, unerring weap-
ous. o! what pitiless tyrsnts seemed hu.
man law, human society! Her feet were
numb, bot they carried her on over the ice
cold pavements like one In dream, sensi-
bic only to the biting tooth Of cold, and the
raging Of the hunger pangs. Down broad
s,oop, little below her, came young lady,
mufiled in furs to her rosy cheeks. She
paused suddenly with look Of compassion.
.You seem very poor. Can't l do some
thing for youi"
II am hungry. lam cold" said Anna.
"Cold! l should fh,,k you would be-"
said the young lady, studdering.
"For PHYS sake, Harriet" struck in
gentleman, who had opened the door and
come out Immediately amer her, "dont stand
to talk to ,ha, girl. You'll catch your death.
Here, I'll give her these, and do you come
along. You'll have TO walk fast TO keep
warm this bitter morning"
He held out two three.cent pieces. They
slipped from his thickly gloved fingers, and
be lef Anna 10 pick them up. Before she
had succeeded In doing 80 be was out Of
sight. with the young lady pressed close to
his side. Anna ran to the nearest bakers,
and bought loafo bread. "You can't stay
here to eat II, GIRL" said the bskeress, and
she reluctantly let the well-warmed shop,
turned the corner into the Avenue, and set
down on a stoop. The bread was hot, and
after filing her mouth, she plunged both
hands into the middle Of the smoking loaf,
she pressed 1t to her freezing bosom.
"Come, young woman, said q policeman,
taking her by the shoulder, "theso are 6ne
tragedy airs. Don't you know you mustn't
sit here :"
The wretched girl rose and tottered away,
completely overcome. Surely she had
reached the depth Of degradation, she had
been showed on" by policeman.
The gentleman and the young lady re-
appeared. "There's that girl hanging
abou, here yet" Anna heard him say.
10! father" replied the young lady, "she
is eating loaf Of bread that she bought
with the change you gave her"
"Well, let her 60 home, and eat II proper
ly then. She's not starving now, certain.
ly," said he.
Home!
The plate-glass doors Of their house had
only just closed after them, when Anna es-
pied upon the pavement ladys watch,
dropped, doubtless, by the bright, rich girl
who had just disappeared. She raised 1t,
and held II a moment in her hand. Within
that small enumellcd thing was hid food,
warmth, clothing, shelter. What wonder II
her eyes fingered upon it, and her brain
grew dizzy with temptation. Let US not
attempt to estimate that conflict, we who
have never shivered homeless and hopeless
ly outside Of rich mans door. Anna had
taken a step to restore the watch, when out
hustled the tall gentleman.
"Here, police, 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 Annals hands. "Very
fortunate!" said Mr.. Miller. "But how
hardened, as well as adroit you must be, to
steal from one who stopped to give you a
kind wordm
Believe me-" implored Anna,"I did not
steal it. The lady dropped it,"
"Nonsense! II would have been shivor-
ed in a thousand pieces. You'd do much
better to confess it,"
'l seed her around" said the policeman,
"not quarter Of an hour ago, and told her
to be oil, but she knowed what she wanted
to be at too well for that"
30! be merciful !" shrieked Anna, Wild
ly,"l am innocent. ! can got no work. !
am starving. am perishing 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 an
other. All light, all hope went out OF her
heart. Her hands and her head dropped,
and the officer haif.carried 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 conllnua! succession OF dirty,
noisome outcasts. There she, the child OF
clergyman, educated, refined, spent the
day and night along with the vicious, the
debased, the intoxicated. The next morn-
ing she was marched into the Police-eourt
with the crowd Of wrelches.
"What 10 your name 7" asked the magls-
trate.
She could not give the honorable name OF
her dead father. "bisry Jones' blush Tor
the falsehood dyeing her cheeks.
ats astonishing what number OF Mary
Joneseswe see here" said the judge
"Weil, Mary, what have you to say TO this
charger"
81 iound the watch on the sidewalk, sir"
answered Anna, almost inaudlbly.
"Found it? o! that's the old story"
But her words were corroboratsd BY two
BOYS, who had seen ber take something
from the pavement, and M. Miller declined
to prosecute the charge, 70 the conclusion
Of the Judge was, "You may Co." 1t seem
ed a matter of indifference to her, % utter
" broken down was she. They helped her
to leave the court, and Mr.. Miller followed
her. Fastening upon her wan face . look
Of pity, he said, my poor girl, ! should hke
to do something for you. Whst u It that
you wantS"
II want to be kept from losing the next
world a. have lost this"
"Here, 60 to my house and ask f0r my
dsuph,er.| said he giving her card.
sMarparet." said Mss Miller, to her
.h.mberm aid. after she had read the words
on the card, and heard Of sone Of Anpss
b.rdships, '.couldnt you 6ud = room for this
eirl in some odging.house7 There mus!
30 many such houses for poor people, l
think" ..
Vi dare say, men," returned Margaret,
"but I'm not used to going about among