The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-03-18
THE JUDGES SURPRISE.


The day was bitterly cold in Virginia City,
as winter days most generally are in that AL
pine town, and though the sun was bright
its rays were as cheerless and chill almost as
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 biting,
penetrating breath. And yet net everyone
was housed from the pitiless gale, for he who
had work to do or business to transact was
summoned by ineXorabIe duty to come forth
to his post, or else, when the day of reckon
ing came, abide by the consequences but,
with such exceptions as these, the male pop
ulatiOn generally sought the warm and friend
~ atmosphere Of drinkiug-saloOns, where,
with "hot Scotch, and a glowing furnace.
they managed to keep thcmscIver from freeZ-
ing. of these IucBI less exceptions. Abe Den
ming, the baker, was one. In sunshine or
storm, hail, rain or snow. people must 'eat,
eat, in fact, all the more voraciousiy because
it does hail or snow, as if to pcrpetrate an
unreasonable joke upon the baker, who, es-
peciaIly in appetizng weather, must see to
it that his customers larder be properly stor-
ed with the rarest and best productions Of
his oven.
Even such cold weather as this did not de-
ter Mr.. Denning from attending to the wants
Of his customers with the assiduity and at
tention characteristic Of his class. While dis
appearing into a customers house with an
armful of bread a girl Of some fifteen years
of age emerged from a miners cabin close
by, and first casting wild and hurried CLAN
ces around her, rushed to the bakers cart
and had just abstracfed therefrom three
leaves of bread, and was carrying 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
that consideration which he otherwise might
gave her in custody on a charge of theft
The girl, without any expostulation or ex-
PLANTATION, burst into flood of tears-a suf-
fcient evidence, perhaps, that she was but a
novice, after all, in the art of stealing.
ooh - she exclaimed, 'don't take me in
this way. Let me wrap a shawl around my
head or the people viii know me-"
The officer consenting, accompanied her
into the cabin, while the baker drove away,
telling tie policeman he would be in court
next day to prefer the charge before the po-
lice Judge.
The officer, on entering, found no one in
the cabin but three children-the youngest
about three and the eldest six. The hut was
cold and cheerIess there was not fire. The
two elder children, alarmed at the presence
of the officer, exhibited discolored eyes and
faces, which bore evidences Of suffering and
recent tears while little Willie, the young
est, was crying and inappeasable, mOped
aimlessly around the cabin, looking into the
empty closet, and putting his hands mechan-
ically 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
piteousIy in the mans face. The girl hug
ged the little fellow frantically in her arms,
covering him with tears and kisses.
''Oh, my poor little brother 20 she cried,
bitterly. "What will become of you now ?
This man is going to take your Lena away
with him -
Here the child thre " his arms around the
girls 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 anything at all to eat
in the house 2'
NO coal, no bread, nothing - replied he
girl, wringing her hands ''aud poor Willie
and the rest have had nothing to eat since
yesterday morning"
Here the Office went away, saying that he
would be back again in a short time.
Is tie man gone for bread ." asked the
Oldest of the children
"Hush Molly, dear"' said Lena. 81 don't
know what he has gone for. He's not bad
man, anyhow, for he hasn't arrested me as 1
thought he would"
In a very few minutes the officer returned
with bread and groceries, not forgetting some
cakes and condiments for the smallest child
rem, while another man at his heels carried a
big sack of coal on his back.
At sight of the bread the children scream
ed with delight while Lena cut up large sill
ces of bread, and helped the children and
herself, the two men set to work to make a
large fire in the stove, the glow of which soon
ditfused warmth and dcomfortthroughthe the cab
in. Then they cooked the meat, and made
tea. and spread 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 preroga-
tives are innocent mirth and 10Y The chill
dren after their dinner didn't look ike the
same children Al all. Their faces were bright