The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-07-18

.HfaQ no WIJtIeS, SPOKE tue cnlQ, Sulle0ly.
These words robbed the heart of the judges
honest servant of its last touch of anger
She said something about letting the child go;
but too late. A crowd had collected, po-
lieeman stepped in, and the thief in few
minutes was locked safe in the station house.
It was -sorrowful night, that, to the com
passionate heart of Becky; though her fire was
bright, her tea good, and even the barber from
a little street hard by had stepped IN to talk
over the matter with her. And she was still
more sad the next day when in her best gown
she cqrtsied to the magistrate of the police
court, and saw the child in the dock, more
haggard and pale. The case was fully proved.
"My good waman,"o spoke the magistrate,
in his kindest voice, III know your master
would prosecute this case to the fullest extent
of the law, but to what end Here is child
seven years old, or therebouts, without home
or without one human friend, and, a great
God! apparently without a name; the scum
and refuse of this city's streets whilst vet a
baby. If L send her to prison she will prob
ably come out only more confirmed in preeq-
cious wickedness; or if sent back into the
streets, but to starvation or something still
more horrible-incipient prostitution But
were there some one to save by teaching her,
and" sLl7 - -. :.
Becky, the great judges poor servant, look
ed here at the magistrate, and then at the
criminal child.
"Please, sir" and the sympathy Of our di-
vinest nature justified itself, s'Ive fifty-seven
pounds sixten and sixpence in the Savings
Bank, that Mr. Rednot has the receipt of, and
just two soyereigns more in the spice -box-so
if a little schooling might"
"Might do more than the prison or the law
can do-turn guiltless sin into gold; and if
with some work"
eyes, yes," interrupted Becky, pleased
with the magistrates manner, and interpre-
ting the matter in her own way; eff she were
to turn out tidy, and could keep the thing
| from masters ears, why could teach her to
roast, and bake, and set his room to rights,
and"
''And if you should succeed in half" chin
ed in the magistrate, "youd show yourself
profounder lawyer than either who sit upon
this bench or your master, Baron of the Ex-
chequer. He who cures vice, is greater than
he who Furnishes it."
Becky did not understand half this, only
this much, that nobody could be so great as
the judge, her master; so curtsying less re-
spectfully than she otherwise would have done,
she waited for the child to be released from
the dock, threw large silk handkerchief from
her pocket across Its shoulders, that it might
hook 7ipFg-ii a Eagrant, and then revertIng
back to the due 9isposa. of the two pounds in
the spiee-box, she took the child's hand, and
made her way to the cab outside the door, fol-
lowed by the wondering and calculating bar
ber. -
To wash the child we'll by the kitchen fire,
to bake cake for tea, TO invite the barber
thereunto, to reach the child little pictured
cup from the closets topmost shelf. were mat
tiers of course with Becky; and much did she
calculate; and more did the barber, as, betYeen
the rayenously eaten cake, and the sweetened
tea, the precocious, wilful, neglected intellect
of crime told of its narroB hell Of human life,
which it believed was heaveni Long Becky
talked with the barber, and whilst the baby
hood of crime, not disowned by nature, nestled
to its rest, and as Mr.. Bottle was of nervous
temperament, and much given to count his
spoons and forks, and make particular inqui-
ries after his masters gold spectacles it was
judged wise to keep the real truth from him,
at least for the present; and moreover, as the
police report would be sure to appear in the
Times of the morrow, it would be advisable
(though sad sin in the eyes of Becky not to
post that paper, so that some chance might lie
of the matter escaping Thrashem's keen no.
tice. It fortunately did, beyond. a mere re-
port by word; but in her strongest trunk Becky |
boarded up that paper. 80
It was necessary to give the child name
before Mr.. Bottle came back. The barber
suggested many good ones; none, however,
plSaodHO ~ 1A4O Cdt W DeChy. DuG WDeu,
some few days, the chiId's young face began
to look gratefully up into her own, the thought
struck Becky that the great oil painting over |
the library fireplace was the portrait of the
judges mother and that her Christian name
Lad been Alice. Tr..'''a5 y 8 |
"And might it not be beautiful" said Becky
to herself, ''if she should turn out good child |
and come up to such grand things as to mend |
the dear masters shirt, or cook him an omlet |
as brown as [ do? Might it not be beautiful |
to hear that name he loves so well, called |
softly up and down the housew
So giving her own questions an affirmative |
answer, Becky called the child Alice.
TO say that the seven years teaching of sin |
was absolyed all at once, would be an injus-
tice to my great teacher, Nature. But pecu-
lations from closets, and drawers, and Jars,
grew less and less before the continual minis
try of good; the memory of vice faded like
shadow in the broadening sun; and Alice, the
unknown spawn of the beggar's lodging house,
thrived by honest Becky's teachings, and even
at last becoming noticed by Mr.. Rednot, drew
upon his learning many ways.
ears passed on, and Alice was seventeen.
Never had the judge seen her; never heard of
her. He had lived forty years in that house,
yet never trod his own kitchen floor Becky
grew feeble; and the stern old man at last no. !
ticing it, rung her up one night into the libra
ry: He spoke kindly, placed her char, and
said she must have help Becky's heart fall
tered-the secret of years was ON her tongue
'I was afraid you would be angry, but I've
long been Obliged to have"
siWhom?" i-..r So.
Gone who can cook your omlet beautifully;
set d frill on your shirt, and place your room
almost as well as I do-Alice''
The old man looked up at the picture; his
heart grew merciful at that name He rung
again the bell; he said a word or two, and
& Alice, It the ,s bus3the sbs spawn Of niquity-the
crushes, and that he in his great wisdom dis
owned all regeneration for, save the gallows-
stood before him in her beauty and her use
fnlness The maoistrate said rirht. lSsNabIor