Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-01-21
And you got no letter from him at all ?"

! 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 the
| Silver State, the children did not receive his
| letters
| "Well, l must go now" said the officer af-
/ ter pause, "but l will call tomorrow, and
| you'll have to accompany me up TO the po-
/ lice station, for l 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 ben
efactor, but the buoyancy of childhood soon
gained the ascendancy, and before 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 popular among
| the miners, and the case created such sympa.
thy and ELECTED so many "reminiscences and
commentaries, that quite a crowd was attract
ed next day to the police court.
Judge Moses presided. The Judge bore
the name Of being upright and honest, kird
and benevolent, and il fault he had at all, it
was thought to be somewhat uncompromis-
ing rigor in the discharge Of his official du-
! ties II was hard TO say how the case would
go.
After the transaction of some preliminary
business the case was called. The baker
swore to the stealing Of the bread and iden-
tilted the defendant az the thief. The officer
testified to tho famishing condition in which
he found the children, but said not syllable
| about what he had done TO relieve them.
Poor Lena stood trembling before the
judge. Thereupon miner rustled through
the crowd, and stood before the bench, eye
ipr tho fuHfya NTH Iavraoati,,s-
81 declare to the Almighty, Jedge," said
he II never knew the state Of Jim Dawson's
children, and if l did"
He dropped twenty into Lenas trembling
hand.
'You Jest knowed as much about ii as 9th
er folks" exclaimed another miner, excited
ly walking up and putting another twenty
into the girls hand, with an indignant air
that flung back any latent suspicion that he
knew anything of the childTen's distress any
more than anybody else.
Here Long Alec, a miner-so called on ac-
count of his height and size-slid timidly and
bashfully up to Lena's side.
'Leeny," he said, in "a half whisper, "hold
yer pinRfore,' and he slipped two twonties
into her apron, and then slid back behind
the crowd into a corner, and, holding his hat
to his face, glanced timidly around, to see
that he was completely out Of sight.
Then came Wabbling Joe, who was far
more bashful than even Long Alec, but
put on a bold face, and laughed and talked
loud to make believe that he was not bashful
at ALL
"Jedge!" cried wabbling Joe, laughing
and nodding familiarly at the court, to dis
arm that functionary of possible rigor in the
trial of the case in hand-"Jedge, let the
girl slide. She amt done nuthin' but what
you or | would do il we was hungry"
And poor Lena was once more the recipi-
ont of another present.
The court held down his head and smiled
gravely at Wabbling Joe's defense of the ac-
cused, but Immediately recovering his grayi-
ty, said:
Gentlemen, | appreciate your liberality
and generous sympathy for the young offend
er, and am particularly impressed with the
ingenious defense made by my friend, Wab-
bling Joe, here a good natured laugh es-
capped the whole crowd, as if to put the Judge
in good humor-"but," continued his honor,
''whatever might be the sympathy of the
court for the sad condition of the accused,
there is public duty to be performed, and
the case must therefore proceed"
What is your name, my girl?" asked the
court.
They call me Lena Dawson, sir, was the
reply.
"Call you Lena Dawson! And suppose
Lena Dawson is your name, is it not p OBJ
served the judge.
mo, sir, il amt returned the girl. My
father died when was only three years old,
and my mother got married 10 Mr.. Dawson
sometime afterwsrd. My proper name is
Madeline Winters, but they call me Lena, for
short.
Madeline Winters Where were you
born?" asked the judge.
''In Kansas City, sir" was the reply.
''In Kansas City !" echoed the court in a
voice of still greater gravity than before.
And what was your mothers maiden
name, do you knowY"
Madeline Moses, sir, responded Lena.
Madeline Moses My God my God
She was my sister :"
And Judge Moses overcome with emotion,
bowed his head on the desk, while a torrent
of tears flowed down his face
just as the crowd, in obedience to the die
tates of delicacy, were emerging from the po-
lice court, to let uncle and niece indulge the
sacred joy Of mutual recognition, jim Daw-
son appeared at the door, having Just return
ed from his prospecting tour in Eureka, and
with an innate sense of propriety that did
honor to his acquaintances, who were all re-
joiced to see him, was quietly permitted to
join his relatives inside.-iSdH Francisco Ar
g0Rdut.