The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-07-26
nARsAREr cARDINALIs CASE.
what Came or Popular Subscription--A
True story or English Life.
IFrom london Truthful

= &eutcu 10 the pucitc III q icttei w tuV S"'os
by a Mr.. Robert Candy. il caused at once
. widespread and powerful sensation.
Margaret CARDINAL was q little girl oil
twelve, who sold flowers In the streets OF
\ country town. One day a policeman
seeing her stand, ragged and shlvering, at
the corner of pavement, told her
% move on, which she proceeded
20 do, but not with sufficient alacrity,
as II seems, to suit the polceman's temper.
What followed then became the subject OF
two versions utterly antagonistic, which
were brought before bench OF the country
justices for adjudication. The policeman
xwore that the girl was abusive, and she
Ind also insulted magistrate who had
happened to be passing by. and who had
rcproyed her for humping against him.
On the other hand, Mr.. Robert Candy, a
priyate gentleman, who was an eye-wt'
moss OF the affair, deposed that 1t was the
policeman who had been abusive, and had
siycn the little girl shove, which had
sent her humping against the j. L. lie
added that the only words uttered ny
Margaret CARDINAL were, "Please, sir, dc
let me sell my flowers. We've nothing
else to live by"
Tbe justices, after laying their heads
iboughtfuliy together, decided that they
could not accept Mr.. Candy's version.
There was the testimony OF the policeman
and Of their brother j. T.. against II. III was
quite clear to their minds that the little
g1rl had been abusive, and that she had
WiIfulIy caused an obstruction in the
streets. They said that little girls who
sold flowers or matches were becoming an
intolerable nuisance, which ought 10 be
nut down, and they sentenced Margaret
A. ytc fx.,y,
out the option OF fine, "for," whispered
they one to another, 90 IL we sentence her
to a fine Mr.. Candy will pay il, and she
will 30 unpublished"
Mr.. Candy was mild man, but his an.
ger was aroused by the Justices harsh SEN
fence, and he carried it to the highest court
of appeal in the land-that is, to the tribu-
nal of public opinion. In the letter which
he wrote to the Times he stated all he had
been able to learn about little Margaret.
She was the daughter OF poor widow.
who was cripple, and she had small
blind brother. A nurscry-gardener, taking
pity upon the wretched family, had allow
ed her to carry away every day few
handfuls Of damaged flowers, which were
not good enough for his own customers,
and these the girl, with a simple good taste
of her own, made up into nosegays, which
she sold to maintain herself, her mother.
and her brother. A policeman and bench
of justices had now put a stop TO her means
of earning her bread; and Mr.. Candy
asked, with an Indignation all the more im-
prcssiye from being temporarily worded,
whether the child had been fairly treated
In being sent TO PRISON.
Public sympathy is as capricious as the
wind. 1t comes in violent lsts or not at
all. There was no subject OF engrossing
importance before the country at that mo-
ment, and the Times, in good-natured,
languid way, devoted leading article to
Margaret CARDINALS case. The other dailies
followed suit. but with far more vigor, and
they aroused roar Of anger throughout
the kingdom which made the justices
OF Littlebnry stare at each other in
flisInay, wondering what it meant. The
Home-O Office people, who never fail to
bestir themselves when they are forced
TO do so by public agitation, which
there is no resisting, fastened TO order
Margaret's release, when she had been a-
ready five days in prison; mean while, from
palace, contingencies, shop, and cottage,
in every corner OF the country, donations
began to flow into Mr.. Candy's hands for
the little girls relief. Mr.. Candy had said
that he should be glad to receive little as
sistance towards helping the CARDINAL
family, but be had expected few pounds
only. He received pounds by tens and
hundreds. The postman deposited big
packets of registered letters on his table;
aud Mr.. Candy spent several entire morn
ings i'm getting post-otlice orders cashed,
having checks into his bank, and answering
the letters of donors who wanted to do
something more than subscribe.
OF course the justices OF Littleblry
tried to defend themselves in print, but
they were hooted into silence. In the
very town where they had weighed out
Judgment in such bungling fashion the
people were wroth and unruly in Their
demonstrations. Margaret was brought
out OF prison by committee OF ladies,
who dressed her nicely, and led hel
through the streets in triumph, large
mob following her to Mr.. Candy's house
cheering and emitting groans for the magls
trates. The miserable policeman wn'
had borne false witness against thu
child dared to appear no more OF
his beat, but took to his heels ant
left the town. Mr.. Candy had certaini.
won a great victory in his yindica
tjcn OF the prosecuted, and had got al
amount of personal credit which he ha(
never sought, and which was rather cmbar
RAISING TO n person OF his modesty. In
few days he had the satisfaction Of seeing
Margaret comfortably settled in a goot
school, where she was placed by SOM
rich and benevolent people, who under
took to adopt heI, while Mergaret's littl
blind brother was sent by another ricl
family to school for boys in his afflic:
ed condition. AS for poor Mrs. CARDINAL
she was amply cared for by being put int
pleasant lodgings, where abundance O
wholesome food and jealous medical treat
ment soon brought about an improvement
in her health.
But now troublesome moment arrive
for the excellent Mr.. Candy. lie was
man of retiring habits, who had never bee
accustomed TO act as trustee TO public chal
ities, and he became perpleXed as to hoy
he should bestow the large sum Of none
which he had received on Margarets be
half. IL amounted to over $4,000. Prr
dence suggested that the money should b
Invested in the funds, and that the incom
should be RENTED to Mrs. CARDINAL, sine
her children were now provided for b
rich people, who would accept no contr
button towards their maintenance, and,
coarse, the principal would be divide
equally between the children at their M
theirs death. But this arrangement W,
soon opposed by Mrs. CARDINAL hersel
The good lady, having been fed and tende
into health, arose quite renovated bein,
She was still young woman; her lam
ness detracted little from her charms; an
rs her cheeks expanded into bloom 81
found suitors, and one of them--a journe,
man carpenter named Groinge-obtaine
favor IN her sight and became engaged {
her. Now, the ambition OF this Groing
was to open public house, and he quickl
convinced Mrs. CardinaI that the none
IN Mr.. Candy's hands was really he