Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-02-23
The Three Loayes.

tnelr furious course, ana urlVlnS every nv
ing thing away to seek shelter from its bit
ing, penetrating breath. And yet not every
one was housed and sheltered from the pit
iless gale, for he who had work to do Or bust
ness to transact was summoned by inexor-
able duty to come forth to his post, or else,
when the day of reckoning came, abide by
the consequences; but, with such exceptions
as these, the male population generally
sought the warm and friendly atmosphere
of the drinking saloons, where with "hot
Scotch" and a glowing furnace, they man
aged to keep themselves from freezing. OF
these luckess 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 if to perpetrate an unreasonable
joke upon the baker, who especially in APP
petizing weather. must see to it that his Gus
toners 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 assduity
and attention characteristic of his class.
While disappearing into a customers house
with an armful of bread, a girl of some fif-
teen years of age emerged from a miners
cabin close by, and, first casting wild and
hurried glances around her, rushed to the
bakers cart, and had Just distracted there
from three loaves of bread, and was carry
ing them off, 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
the consideration which he otherwise might,
gave her in custody on charge of theft.
The girl, without any attempt at expostu-
Of init
of tears, sufficient evidence, perhaps, that
she was but novice, after all, in the art of
stealing.
ooh !" she exclaimed, "dont take me in
this way. Let me wrap a shawl around my
head, or the people will know me-"
The officer, consenting, accompanied her
into the cabin, the baker having driven
away, telling the policeman he would be in
court next day to prefer the charge before
the police Judge.
The officer, on re-entering, found no one
in the cabin but three children-the young |
est about three years old, and the eldest six.
The hut was cold and cheerless there was |
no fire. The two elder children, alarmed at |
the presence of the officer, exhibited discol- |
ored eyes and faces, which bore evidence of |
suffering and recent tears while little |
Willie, the youngest, was crying and map
cabin, looking into the empty closet, and
putting his little hands mechanically into
the empty dishes on the table.
"What made you steal the bread, my |
girl ?" asked the officer.
At the mention of word "bread," little /
Willie looked tearfully and piteously in the
mans face. The girl Rugged the little fell
low frantically in her arms, covering him |
with tears and kisses.
"Oh, my poor little brother !" she cried,
bitterly. "What will become of you now |
This man is going to take your Lena away |
with him
Here the child threw his arms around her |
neck as if to detain her by force while the |
other two children screamed fit to break |
their hearts.
The officer, suspecting the actual state of |
affairs, began to cough convulsively; but in |
stead of applying his hands to his chest or
throat, as most people do such occasions, he
applied his handkerchief to his eyes.
els there no COAL or nothing at all to eat
in the house 2" said he, in gurgling sort OF
voice.
"No coal, no bread, nothing to eat" re-
piled the girl, wringing her hands, and |
poor Willie and the rest of us have had |
nothing to eat ever since yesterday morn
ing"
Here the officer had another hard fit of |
coughing, and went away, saying that he
would be back again in a short time.
"ls the man gone for bread !" asked the
oldest of the children.
Hush, Mollie dear ~ said Lena. al
don't know what he is gone for. He's not
bad man, anyhow, for he hasn't arrested me,
as / thought he would"
In very few minutes the officer returned
with his arms full of bread and groceries,
not forgetting some cakes and condiments
for the smallest children, while another
man at his heels carried a big sack of coal
on his back
At the sight of the bread the children
screamed with delight, while the officer now
laughed, now coughed, and frequently ap-
piled his handkerchief to his face, to wipe
off the perspiration, as it were.
While Lena cut up large slices of bread,
and helped the children and herself, the two
men set at work and made large fire in the
stove the glow of which soon diffused
warmth and comfort through the cabin.
Then they cooked the meat, and made the
tea, and spread steaming meal on the table,
for the four orphans, while they carved and
attended to their wants until they were fully
satisfied.
Happy, happy, childhood whose preroga-
tives are innocence, mirth and Joy The
children, after their dinner, didn't look like
the same children at all. Their faces were
bright and joyous, happy and handsome,
and in few minutes, they were playing and
laughing and romping, as happy as if they
had never felt the pangs of hunger.
"And now" said the officer, delighted at
seeing the children so happy, "sit down,
Lena, and answer me few questions. Have
you no father or motherP"
hn,ta hon - I 80 l..
/" She died about year ago, and father
went away to Eureka to work about eight
months ago, and we hain't seen him ever
since"
"What is your fathers name 2"
Dawson-Jim Dawson"
And he has sent you no money--noth-
ing2"
"Nothing. Never heard of him since he
went away. But when he was going he left
us a bag of -four and lots of groceries and
things-as much as would last us for six
months, and he'd be sure to be back before
the provisions were all out"
all2"
"Not one" replied Lena, with deep sigh.
Poor Dawson had written TO his children,
however, but postal communication being
at that time very irregular and uncertain in
ehS 'hNoi plaeoj bhO ulu NOT receive
his letters.
"Well, ] must go now" said the officer
after pause, but | will call tomorrow,
and you'll have TO accompany me up TO the
police station, for | must do my duty, you
know. Goodbye"
And Lena Dawson was left alone with
her little brothers and sisters She felt sad
and lonesome after the departure of her
kind benefactor, but the buoyancy of child.
hood soon gained the ascendency, and be-
fore bedtime the orphans were as happy as
any group of little children in Virginia
City.
Meantime, the report about the stealing
OF the bread and the destitute condition Of
the children got abroad, Jim Dawson, a
miner himself, was well known and popu.
lar among the miners, aud the case created
such sympathy and elected so many remin-
iscenoes and commentaries that quite a
crowd was attracted the next day to the po-
lice court
Judge Moses presided. The Judge bore
the name OF being upright and honest, kind
and benevolent and If fault he had at all,
1t was thought to be somewhat uncompro.
missing rigor in the discharge of his official
duties. 1t was hard to say how the case