The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-02-25

lSfed.
Happy, happy childhood. whose pre-
negatives are innocence, nirth 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.
pangs Of hunger.
s.knd now said. the officer, delighted
sk seeing the children SO happy, ssit
down, Lena, and answer me few ques-s
tions. Have you no father or mother?"
ssWe have no mother" was Lena's re-
ply. She died about year ago, and
father went away to Eureka to work
about eight months ago, and we haint
seen him ever since"
s.What is your fathers name?"
ssDawson-Jim Dawson.
ssAnd he has sent you no money
nething?'
e.Nothing. Never heard of him since
he went away. But when he was going.
he left us bag of -four, and lots of gro
oeries 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"
..And you have got no letter from him in
at ALP"
s.Not one" replied Lena, with a deep
sigh.
Poor Dawson had written to his chill
dren, however, but postal communication
being at that time very irregular and un-'
certain in the Silver State, the children
did not receive his letters.
"Well. must go now" said the
officer after pause, shut 1 will call to-
morrow, and you'll have to accompany
me up to the police station, for I must
do my duty, you know. Goodbye.
And Leno Dawson was left alone with
her little brothers and sisters. She felt
sad and lonesome after the departure of
her kind benefactor, but the buoyance of
childhood soon gained the ascendency,
and before bed time the orphans were as
happy as any group of little children in
Virginia City.
Meantime, the report about the steal
ing of the bread and the destitute con-
dition of the children got abroad. Jim
Dawson, miner himself, was well
known and popular among the miners,
and the case created such sympathy and
elected SO many "reminiscences and com
mentaries. that quite crowd was at
tracted 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 duties. It was
hard to say how the case would go.
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 famisning con-
dition iu 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 a miner rustled
through the crowd and stood before the
bench, cycling the judge with depre-
eating look.
"I declare to the Almighty, Jedge,"
said he, II never knew the state Of Jim
Dawson's children, and if / did"
He dropped twenty into Lena's trem-
bling hand.
You Jest knowed as much about it
as other folks" exclaimed another mi
ner, excitedly, walking up and putting
another twenty into the girls hand,
with an indignant air that flung back
any latent suspicion that he kney any
thing of the childrens distress any more
than anybody else.
Here Long Alec, miner so called on
account of the height and size-slid tim
idly and bashfully up to Lena's side.
sLeeny," he said, in half whisper,
shold yer pinafore, and he slipped two
twenties into her apron, and then slid
back behind the crowd into corner, and
holding his hat to his face, glanced tim
idly around, to see that he was complete
~ out of sight.
Then came Wabbling Joe, who was
far more bashful than even Long Alec,
but put on bold face, and laughed and
talked loud to make believe that he was
not bashful at all.
"Jedger' cried Wabbling Joe, laugh.
ing and nodding familiarly at the court,
to disarm that functionary of possible
rigor in the trial of the case in hand.
done nothin' but what you or would
do if we was hungry"
And poor Lena was once more the reci-
pient of another present.
The court held down his head and
smiled gravely at Wabbling Joe's defense
of the accused, but Immediately recov-
ering his gravity, said:
Gentlemen, 1 appreciate your Hber-
ality and generous sympathy for the
young offender, and am particularly i'm
pressed with the ingenious defense made
by my. friend, Wabbling Joe"-here
good natured laugh escaped 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 ac-
cused, there is public duty to be per-
formed, and the case must therefore pro-
ceed.
"What is your name, my girl ?'' asked
the Court.
They call me Lena Dawson, sir, !" was
the reply.
s'Call you Lena Dawson! And I sup
pose Lena Dawson is your name, is it
not 2" observed the Judge.
No, sir, it ain't." returned the girl.
my father died when was only three |
ye.rs old, and my mother got married to |
Mr.. Dawson some time afterward Ny |
proper name is Madeline Winters, but |
they call me Lena. for short"
Madeline Winters! Where were you
born 2" asked the judge.
I'm Kansas City, sir" was the reply. |
SIN Kansas City echoed the court, in |
q voice of still deeper gravity than be-
fore. "And what was your mothers |
maiden name, do you know ?''
Madeline Moses, sir, responded
Lena.
Madeline Mosesi NV God! nv God I |