The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-29

STAIRS, ana he WdutS TO see you. ne ISu !
going to take you TO Jail, is he, mamma? be-
cause if be is I'll kill himr'
XIII him!" said Neddy, too, with an
angry little fist appraised
No, no, children; stay here with Chris
tine until | come back. It's something
about the ash-pie, l expect, or the apple
parings which Dinah threw into the alley"
-, The policeman rose as Mrs. Dale entered
the library. and bowed respectfully.
Il am very sorry to trouble you, ma am,
but have been sent to ask if there is
young girl living here named Christine
Blytbe?'
Christinel Margarets heart stood still.
There certainly is a girl here named
Christine, but she is Christine Donald, not
Blythe, and in any case she cannot be the
girl you are looking for"
We'll, don't know about that. ma am,
SAID the man, pulling paper from his peck
ct and consulting it. Christine Donald
Blythe is the name, and 1 have warrant
here for her arrest"
And her offense?' said Margaret, with
trem bling lips.
the Both of next April, and burying 1t in
the Laconia woods.
The room swan before Mrs. Dale's eyes.
Was this, then, the woman into whose
hands, red with the blood of her own baby,
she had given the care of her children for
long year? Was this, then, the reason OF
the perpetual sadness which all their kind
ness and love had never been able to lift
from Christine's face? But instantly the
memory of the poor girls unfailing patience
and gentleness blotted out the doubt.
will you wait here a moment until l
speak to Christine first myself"
Certainly. ma'am, but you understand, of
course, that she must go with me and
there's no chance for her to escape, cause
there are men at both gates, a-looking out for
her."
The children were playing in the nursery
as Margaret went in.
'Christines gone into her room, cause
she's sick" said Phil.
She knocked at the door of the pretty
room which had been fitted up for Christine,
but there was no answer. She opened the
door and went in. Upon the bed lay gray
heap.
christine" said Margaret in her sympa-
thetic voice; Christine, my poor child, tell
me about it, let me comfort YOU" and she
held out her arms, full of yearning love for
this girl
Christine lifted an ashen face from the
pillow and threw herself at Margarets feet,
kissing with hot lips the hem of her white
dress.
Believe me, oh! believe me, Mrs. Dale,
that did not kill my baby. loved it, though
1t only brought shame and misery to me.
w ueH my aunt IOulQ out the DADDY was COM
ing, she sent me away from her house. and
my poor little one was born in the aims
house. As soon as 1 was able to get up l
took my baby and ran away. 1t was a little
delicate thing when it was born. | had some
money which my uncle had given me- and |
meant to come here, work hard and take care
of my baby. / was afraid to go into the vii
lage, and staid Two nights in the woods
until they should have given up looking for
me. 1t was cold and rainy and, though | tried
hard to keep my baby warm, l had only
one thin shawl for both of us. The second
day it was very sick, and just at dark it died
in my arms. | held it until morning-then
dug a little grave for it, wrapped it in one
of my skirts and laid it there. ] walked ten
miles to the next village and came here on
the cars"
This, and more, she told to her pitiful mis-
tress, all the time clinging to the hem of the
white dress. Margaret had never seen such
intensity of grief. She grew calm herself,
trying to comfort Christine. Don't let
them take ne away. Indeed have told you
the truth. will go away myself and die,
but cannot go to prison. Oh save ME from
thatp'
Mrs. Dale sent at once for her husband and
both went with Christine to her preliminary
examination. after which she was committed
to prison and indicted for child murder and
her trial set for the following month.
though Mr.. Dale made the most strenuous
efforts to accomplish this Margaret visited
her constantly while she was confined in the
loathsome Jail, where it was diSgraceful to
keep hardened criminal. and how much
more young girl whose misfortune was her
crime.
must confess with tears of renorse, that
at this time ! did my best to persuade Mar
garet to give Christine up and let her pay the
consequences OF her alleged crime. | could
not endure having my beautiful friend
brought into daily contact with such sin and
wickedness as surrounded her on her visits TO
Christine She turned on me with a magnifi-
cent scorn, which burned all this false pride
out of me- She is a woman, unfortunate
sad and miserable. If I forsake her she will
be utterly friendless. l think you do not
know what you askp'
1t was a very pitiful figure which presented
itself for trial on the 18th of June before the
judge ana jury The soft, brown hair was
thicSly streaked with white. and you seemed
TO see nothing OF the pale face but the great
gray eyes, which looked with sad earnestness
into the faces of those who were to judge her
as they would not be judged.
Margaret sat by her side during those three
dreadful days. cheering her with her presence
and helpful words. l think but for her love
and sympathy Christine would have died be-
fore the trial was over Margaret gave a most
touching account of the life Christine had led
in the year she had been with her The wit
nesses for the prosecution showed that the
little grave bad been accidentally discovered
by some hunters and the body identified by
the skirt in which it was wrapped 1t was
supposed to be case of murder, as the nurse
in the hospital of the Laconia alms-house
testified that the baby, although a delicate
little thing was well when Christine
left the house with it. ] think the jury would
have been merciful and acquitted her had
not special stress been laid upon the alarming
frequency of the crime with which the pris-
oner was charged, and the grave necessity of
adequate punishment being given in order
that others might be deferred from commit
ting SO dreadful crime against society and
humanity.
When the jury brought in a verdict of
guilty, Margarets face was awful to look
upon. If glances of scorn and wrath could
have killed not man in the cOurt-room