The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-04-28
THE THREE LOAYES.
BY C. NJ. c.

The day was bitterly cold in Virginia
City, as winter days most generally are
in that Alpine town, and though the sun
was bright, it was cherries and chill al
most as moon beams. 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 vet not every one was
housed and sheltered from the pitiless
gale, for he who had work to do or bust
ness to transact was summoned by mex
orable duty to his post, or else, when the
day of reckoning came abide by the con-
sequences; but with such exceptions as
these, the male population generally
sought the warm and friendly atmos-
phere of the drinking saloons, where with
''hot Scotch" and a glowing fire they
managed to keep themselves from freez-
ing. OF these luckless exceptions Abe
Denning, the baker, was one. In sun
shine or storm, hail, rain or snow, peo-
pie must eat-eat, in fact, all the more
vigorously because it does hail or snow,
as if to perpetrate an unreasonable joke
on the baker, who, especially in appetis-
ing, weather, must see to it that his GUS
toners larders be properly stored with
the best productions of his oven.
Even such cold weather as this did
not deter Mr.. Denning from attending to
the wants of his customers with the ASST
duty and attention characteristic of his
class. While disappearing into a Gus
toners 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 hurrid glance
about her, rushed to the bakers cart and
had Just distracted therefrom three
loaves of bread and was carrying them
off, when the baker returned and caught
her in the act.
Unfortunately an officer was passing
at the time, and the baker, on the spur
of the moment, and without giving the
case the consideration which he other
wise might. gave her into custody on
charge of theft.
The girl, without attempting an ex-
postulation or explanation, burst into an
agony of tears, sufficient evidence,
perhaps, that she was but novice, after
all, in the art of stealing.
"Ohl' she exclaimed, don't take me
in this way Let me wrap shawl
around my head, or the people will
know me-.
The officer, consenting, accompanied
her into the cabin, the baker having
driven away, telling the policeman he
would be in court next day to prefer the
charge before the Police Judge.
The officer on entering found no one
in the cabin but three children-the
81 tl,~ao oil NJ he
eldest about six. The hut was cold
and cherries; there was no fire. The
two elder children, alarmed at the pres
ence of an officer, exhibited discolored
eyes and faces, which bore evidence of
suffering and recent tears, while little
Willie, the youngest, was crying and
inappeasable, moping aimlessly around
the cabin, looking into the empty closet
and putting his little hands mechani-
cally into the empty dishes on the
table.
What made you steal the bread, my
girl?" asked the officer.
At the mention of the word bread,
little Willie looked tearfully and pite-
ously in the mans face. The girl
Rugged the little fellow frantically in
her acms, covering him with tears and
kisses.
"Oh, my poor little brother !" she cried
bitterly. s'What will become of you
now9 This man is going to take your
Lena away with him."
Here the child threw his arms around
her neck, as if to detain her by force;
while the other two children screamed Ill
to break their hearts.
The officer, suspecting the real state
of affairs, began 10 cough convulsively
but instead Of applying his hand TO his
chest or throat, g most people do on
such occasions, he applied his handler
chief to his eyes.
ssIs there NO coal. or nothing 1t al
10 ct in the houss?" aid he, in gurg
ling sort Of voice.
mo coal, no broad. nothing 10 81, ;
replied the girl, vringing her hands
''enA poor Willis and Tie rsst a u
havs Nd nsthing y - dnss ysstseds5
nos1ing."