The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-04-08

eight months ago, and We hai't seen
him ever since"
"What il your fathers namel'
"Dawson- Dawson"
"And he has sent you no money
nothingl'
Nothing. Never heard Of him
since he went away. But when he
was going he left us bag of fl,ur and
lots Of groceries and things much as
would last us six months, and he'd be
sure to bo back before the provisions
were oil out"
"And you have got no letter from
him at allf'
"Not one" replied Lena, with deep
sigh.
Poor Dawsoa bad written TO his chill.
dren, however, hat the postal commu.
nication being at tina ne very irrego.
lar and uncertain in & Silver. State,
the children did not receive his letter.
"Well, | must go now" said the oili-
Ger after n pause, "but ] will call to-
morrow and You will have TO accompa.
ny me to the police station, for must
do my duty, you know. Good-by."
And Lena Dawson was left alone
with her little brothers and sisters. She
felt sad and lonesome after the depart
ure of her kind benefactor, but the
buoyancy of childhood soon gained the
ascendancy, and before bedtime tho or
phans were as happy as any group Of
children in Virginia City.
Meantime the report about tho steal
inz of the bread and the destitution of
the children got abroad. jim Dawson.
q miner himself, was well known and
popular among the miners, and the
case created much sympathy and ELECTED
so many "reminiscences and m menta-
ries that quito crowd was attracted
tho next day to the police court.
Judge Moses presided. The Judge
bore tho namo of being upright aud
honest, kind and benevolent, and il
fault be had at all, it was thought to
be somewhat incorporating rigor in
the discharge of his official al'duties. IL
was hard TO see how the case would
go.
After the transaction of somo pre-
lininary business the case was called.
The baker swote TO tho stealing Of the
bread, and identified the defendant as
the thief. The officer testified 10 the
furnishing condition in which he bad
found the children, but said not one
word about what he had done 10 relieve
them.
Poor Lena stood trembling before
the Judge. Thoreupon miner raatle,l
through the Gro Sd and stood baforc the
jcnch, cycling the Judge with depre-
eating look.
al declare to Almighty Judge said
be, 81 never knew the condition Of Jim
DAwson's children, aud il | did"
He dropped "a twenty into Lena
trembling hand.
rYou jest knowed as much al-1at il
as other folks" exclaimed another
miner, excitsdly, Walking up and put
ting another twenty into the girls hand
and, with an indignant air that fluns
back any latent suspicion that he kneS
anything Of the chiIdrcn's great desti
tuition any more than any one else.
Here Long Alec, miner-so eallsI
on acco ant oil his height and size--.lil
timidly aud bsshfully up TO Lena
side.
eI,eeny," he said, in half whisper
ahold yer pinafore," " and hs Slipped tw
twenties into her apron, and then sli'
back behind the crowd into u cornel
} and hslding his hat to his face, glance'
timidly around to see that ho WAS con
pletely out Of sight.
Then came Wabbling Joe, who wa
far more bashful than Long Alec, bu
put on bold face, aud laughed an,
talked loud to make believe that Il
wss not bashful at all.
, "Jedgep cried Wahbling Joe, laugl
ing and aodding fsiniIiarly at the cour
) to dissrm that funct y Of possihl
! Figor in tho trial of the 8. SO in hand
"Jedgo, let the gal sl.de. She ain
done nothin' but what you or / woul
do If we was hungry"
: And poor Lena was once more ii
recipient Of another present.
The ceurt held down his head All
J, smiled grayely at Wabbling Joe's d,
Q Tense Of the accused, but immediatel
= recovered his gravity, and said
"Gentlemen, ! appreciate your libe
{ atty and generous sympathy for Il
I young offender, and am particularly in
t pressed with the ingenious defense /,
nay friend Wabbling Joe,"-here
d good natured laugh escaped the whe
crswd, as if to put the judge in gos
/ humor, "whatever might be the symp
r. thy of the court for the said conditic
Q Of the accused, there is public duty
o be performed, and the ease must ther
fore proceed.
= isWhat is your name, my girl," ssk'
d the court,
d aThey call mo Lena Dawson, sir
], was the reply.
d "Call you Lena Dawson! And su
pose Lena Dawson is your name, is
! notl observed the Judge.
le "No sir, it amt" returned the gi
d "my father died when I was only thr
% years cid, and my mother married M
IS Dawson some time afterward. \
proper name is Madaline Winters, b
Of they call me Lena Cor short.
T. "Nadaline Winters! Where We
le you sornf" asked the Judge.
of "In Kansas City, sir" was the
rt ply.
ID ain Kansas Ctyp echoed the col
ID in q voice of still deeper gravity til
10 before. "And what was your mothe
ID maiden name, do you know4"
re HMadaline Moses. sir" RESPOND