Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1880-10-23
SeleGt Sturp,
THE JUDGES SURPRISE.

The day was bitterly cold in Virginia
City. as winter days most generally
are in that Alpine town, and though the
sun was bright, its rays was as cherries
and chill almost rs moonbeams. Wild
gusts whistled through the streets,
breathing icicles and frost in their
furious course, and driving every living
thing away to seek shelter from its Bit
ing, penetrating breath. And yet not
every one was housed and sheltered
from the pitiless gale, for he who had
work to do or business to transact was
summoned by inexorable duty to come
forth to his post, or else, when the day
of reckoning came, abide by the conse-
quences. OF these luckless exceptions,
Abe Denning. the baker, was one. In
sunshine or storm, hail, rain or snow,
people must eat; eat, in fact, all the
more voraciously because it does hail or
snow, as sif toperpetrate an unreasonable
joke upon the baker, who, especially in
appetizing weather, must see to it that
his customers larders be properly stored
with the rarest and best productions Of
his oven.
Even such cold weather as this did
not deter Mr.. Denning from attending
to the wants of his customers with the
assiduity and attention characteristic Of
his class. While disappearing into a
customers house with an armful OF
bread, girl of some fifteen years of age
emerged from miners cabin close by,
and, first casting wild and hurried
glances around her, rushed to the
bakers cart, and had just abstracted
therefrom three loaves of bread, and
was carrying them of, when the baker
returned and caught her in the act.
Unfortunately, an officer was passing
just at the time, and the baker, on the
spur of the moment, and without giving
the. case that consideration which he
otherwise might, gave her in custody on
charge, of theft. The girl, without
any attempt at expostulation or explain
alton, burst into an agony of tears-a
ufficienJ evidence, perhaps, that she
was but novice, after all, in the art of
stealing.
"Ohm she exclaimed, "don't take
me in this way. Let me wrap shawl
around my head, or the people will
know me-"
The officer, consenting, accompanied
her into the cabin, while the baker
drove away, telling the policeman he
wonld be in court next day to prefer the
charge before the police judge.
The officer, on entering, found n o one
in the cabin but three children-the
youngest about three years old, and the
eldest six. The hut was cold and cheer
less; there was no fire. The two elder
children, alarmed at the presence of
the officer, exhibited discolored eyes
and faces, which bore evidence of Duf-
fering and recent tears; while iittlo
Willie, the youngest. was crying and
inappeaseable, moping aimlessly around
the cabin, looking into the empty closet,
an6 putting his little hands mechani-
cally into the empty dishes on the table.
What made you steal the bread, my
grip" asked the officer. At mention of
the word bread" little Willie looked
tearfully and piteously in the mans
face. The girl Rugged the little fellow
frantically in her arms, covering him
with tears and kisses.
"Oh, my poor little brother!" she
cried, bitterly. "What will become of
you nowp This man is going to take
your Lena away with himl"
Here the child threw his arms around
her neck, as if to detain her by force;
while the other two children screamed
piteously.
The officer, suspecting the actual state
of affairs, began to.investigate.
is there no coal, or nothing at all to
eat in the houseP" said he.
"No coal, no bread, nothing to eat!"
replied the girl. wringinR her hands: