The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-04-28

SIS the man going for bread?" asked
the Oldest of the children.
Hush, Mollie, DEAR" said Lena. 81
don't know what he has gone for. He's
not bad man, anyhow, for he hasn't ar
rested me, as I thought he would"
In very few minutes the officer re-
turned with his arms full of groceries, not
| forgetting some cakes and condiments
for the small children, while another
man at his heels carried big sack OF coal
on his back.
At the sight of the provisions the chill.
dren screamed with delight, while the
officer now laughed, now coughed, and
frequently applied his handkerchief to
his face TO wipe off the perspiration, as it
were.
While Lena cut up large slices of the
bread, and helped the children and her.
self, the two men set at work and made o
large fire in the stove, the glow of which
soon suGused warmth and comfort in
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 full satisfied.
Happy, happy childhood, whose pre-
negatives are innocent, mirth and Joy!
The children after their dinner did not
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.
"Apd now" said the officer, delighted
at seeing the children so happy, ''sit
down, Lena, and answer me few ques-
tions. Have you no father or mother"
"We have no mother" was Lena's re-
ply. She died about year ago, and
father went to Eureka to work about
eight months ago, and we hain't seen him
ever since"
"What IS your fathers name?"
"Dawson-Jim Dawson"
"And he has sent you no money
nothing?'
Nothing. Never heard of him since
he went away. But when he was going
he left us bag of -four and lots of groce-
ries and things-as much as would last
us six months, and he'd be sure to be
back before the provisions were all out"
"And you have got no letter from him
at all?"
mot one," replied Lena, with deep
sigh.
Poor Dawson had written to his chill
dren, however, but the postal communi-
cation being at that time very irregular
and uncertain in the Silver State, the
children di not receive his letter.
well, must go now" said the Off
Ger after q pause, ''but l will call to-
morrow and you will have to accompany
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 departure of
her kind benefactor, but the buoyancy
of childhood soon gained the ascendancy,
and before bedtime the orphans were as
happy as any group of children in Vir-
ginia City.
Meantime the report about the stealing
of the bread and the restitution of the
children got abroad. Jim Dawson,
miner himself, was well-known and pop
ular among the miners, and the case
created much sympathy and elected so
many "reminiscences and commentaries
that quite a crowd was attracted the
next day to the police court.
Judge Moses presided. The Judge
bore the name of being upright and hon
est, kind and benevolent, and if fault he
had at all, it was thought to be some
what uncompromising rigor in the dis
charge of his official dnties. 1t was
hard to see how the case would wind
up.
After the transaction of some prelimi-
nary business the case was called. The
baker swore to the stealing of the bread,
and identified the defendant as the thief.
The officer testified to the furnishing con-
dition in which he had found the chill
dren, but said not one word about what
he had done to relieve them.
Poor Lena stood trembling before the
Judge. Thereupon a miner rustled
through the crowd and stood before the
bench, cycling the Judge with o depre-
eating look.
II declare to Almighty, Judge" said
he. II never knew the condition OF Jim
Dawson's children, and if I did"
He dropped a twenty into Lena's
trembling hand.
"You jest knowed as much about it as
other folks" exclaimed another miner,
e1citedly, walking up and putting
another twenty into the girls hand, and
with an indignant air that flung back
any latent suspicion that he knew any
thing of the children's great restitution
any more than any one else.