St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1881-02-26
THE THREE LOAvES.

The day was bitterly cold in Vir-
ginia City, as winter days most gen.
orally are in that Alpine town. and
though the sun was bright, it was
as cheerless and chill almost as
moonbeams. Wild gusts whis:led
through the streets, breathing icicles
and frost in their furious course.
and driving every living thing away
to seek shelter from its biting, pene-
trating breath. And yet not every
one was housed and sheltered from
The pitiless gale, for he who had
work to do ur 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 consequences; but with
such exceptions as these, the male
population generally sought the
warm and friendly atmosphere OF
ihe drinking saloons. where with
not Scotch, and Il glowing furnace.
they managed 20 keep themselves
from freezing. OF these luckless
exceptions, Abe Denning, the baker
Was one. In sunshine or storm.
hail, rain or snow. people must eat
eat In Tact, MI more voraciously
because it does hail or snow. ms If
to perpetrate and unreasonable joke
npon the baker, who, especially in
appetizing weather, must see to it
that his customers larders be prop
erly stored with the rarest and best
productions of his oven. Even such
cold weather as this did not deter
Nj. Denning from attending to the
| wants Of his customers with the as
slduity and attention characteristic
Of his class. While disappearing
into u customers house, with an
armful OF bread, girl of some ff-
teen years Of age emerged from
miher's cabin close by, and, first
casting a wild aud hurried glance
around her, rushed to the bakers
cart and had just abstracted there
iron three loaves of bread, and was
carrying them of, when the baker
returned and caught her in the act.
Unfortunately. an officer was pass
ing Just ut the time, and the bake:.
III The spur of the moment and
without giving the case the consid-
eration which he otherwise might,
gave her III custody on charge of
theft. The girl, without any attempt
ut e1postuiation or explanation.
ourst INTO an agony of tears-a
sufficient evi .ence. perhaps, that
sine was but novice, after all, III
The art Of stealing. "Oh!" she ex-
clnimed, don't take me in this way.
Let me wrap u shawl around my
nead, on the people will know me.
The officer. conseniing, accom-
panied her 10 the cabiL, the baker
having drove away, telling the
Ioliceman he sould be in court next
day to prefer the charge before
police fudge.
The officer, on entering. found
no one i'll the cabin but three chill
dren-the youngest about three
years old, aud the eldest six. The
old hut was cold and cheerless;
there was no fire. The two elder
children. alarmed at the presence
Of tue officer, exhibited disco!ored
eyes and faces, which bore evidence
Of suffering and recent tears; while
htt:e Willie, the youngest. WAS cry
in2. and inappeusably moping aim
iessly around the cabin. looking
into the empty closet. and putting
mis- little hands mechanically into
the empty dishes on the table.
What made you steal the bread.
my girl 2" asked the officer.
AT t mention of the word |
''bread" little Willie looked tearfully |
and piteously in the mans face. TIE
girl nugged the little fellow frunti-
caIiy III her arms. covering hun
wita 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 bim."
Here tue child threw his arms
around her heck, Ms i: to detain her
ny fuice; while the other two chil
uren screamed lit to break their
hearts.
The officer, suspccting the actual
state of affairs. bngan to cough con-
yuisiveiy. but. instead Of Supplying
Ills land 10 his chest or throat, III
people usually do Oh such occasions
Dc applied his handkerchief to bis
syes r.