The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1880-01-12

would"
In a very few minutes the Officer
returned, with bread and groceries
not forgetting sone cakes and condi
ments for the smallest children; wink
another man at his heels carried 9
big sack of coal Oh his back.
At the sight of the bread the child
rem screamed with delight, and willie
Lena cut up large slices OF bread and
helped the children and herself, the
two men set to work and made u large
fire in the stove, tho glow Of which
soou diffused warmth aud comfort
through the cabin. Then they cook
ed the meat and made tea, and spread
a steaming meal on the table for the
four orphans, while they carved and
attended to their wants till they were
fully satisfied.
Happy, happy childhood, whose
prerogatives, + Innocence, mirtll
and joy! The children, after their
dinner, didn't look like the same
children at ALL. Their faces were
bright snd joyous, happy and baud
some; and i'll a few minutes they
were playing and laughing and romp-
ing, as happy as if they had never
felt the pangs Of hunger,
"And now" said tho officer, de-
lighted at seeing The children 90 hap
py, "sit down, Lena, and uswer NE
a few questions. Have you no father
or mother?'
1--WE have no mother" was Lena's
reply. "She died about year ago,
and father went away 10 Eureka to
work, about eight months $50, and
we hain't seer him ever since"
"What is your fathers name?'
"Dawson-Jim Dawson"
"And he has sent you no money
nothing?"
Nothing. Never beard OF him
since he went away. But when he
Was going he left us d bag of -four,
and lots Of groceries and things-as
much as would last US for six months;
and said he'd be sure and be back
before the provisions were all out"
"And you got no letter from him
at ALL"
"Nos one," replied Lena, with Il
deep sigh.
Poor Dawson had written to his
children, however, but, postal COM
munication being at that time very
irregular and uncertain in the Silver
State, the children did not receive
his letters.
"Well, I must 90 now" said the
officer, after a pause, "but I will call
for you tomorrow, and you'll have
to accompany me to the police Office,
for I must do my duty, you know.
Good bye" And Lena Dawson WAS
loft alone with her little brothers and
sisters. She felt sad and lonesome
after the departure OF her kind bene-
factor, but the buoyancy Of childhood
soon gained the ascendancy, and be-
fore bedtime the orphans were MS
happy as any group of little children
in Virginia City.
Meanwhile, the report aboHt the
stealing OF the bread and the destl-
tute condition of the children got
abroad. jim Dawson, q miner him
self, was we'll known and popular
among the miners, and the case Gre
ated such sympathy, and elected SO
many "reminiscences and commenta-
ries that a crowd was attracted next
day to the police court. Judge Moses
presided. The Judge bore the name
of being upright and honest, kind and
benevolent, aud if fault he had at all,
it Was thought to he somewhat I'M
compromising rigor in the discharge
| of his official duties. 1t was hard to
say how the caso would go. After
tho transaction of some preliminary
business, the case was called. The
baker swore to the ste"ling q the
bread, and identified the defendant
as the thief. The officer testified as
to the furnishing condition in which
he found the children, but said not a
SYLLABLE about what he had done to
relieve them. Poor Lena stood trem'
bling before the judge. Tbereapon q
miner rustled through the crowd and
stood before the bench, cycling the
Judge with o deprecuting look. u
declare to the Almighty, jedge," saio