The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-03-26
Stole a Flower,

An old woman, With long gray
hair, stepped forward when her name
was called, and confronted the Po-
lice judge.
You are a very old woman to be
in ylace Of this kind, said the
Judge. What is the charge against
her ?n turning to an officer.
Stealing pot Of flowers, your
honor"
WHO made the complaint ?"
Il die" replied a man stepping
forwrrd. II know that it looks hard
to have such an old woman, arrested
but ana a l4w-abiding citizen,
Judge. and ! don't intend to be i'm
posed on. This is the way the whole
thing came about: | keep large
flower depot. Day before yesterday
this woman came into the store and
when | asked her if she wanted TO
buy anything, she shook her head.
Just then a customer came IN and L
bald no attention to her, but after
She was gone | discovered that
pot containing u fine geranium was
missing. | know she took It, and
what she wanted with it Is more
than | can tell. If she had stolen
something to eat it would have been
different thing
The old woman looked up and
said
Judge, | stole the flower"
"Didl* you know it was wrong 2"
Yes
WAS the temptation so great
that you could not Withstand
|it?"
There vas no temptation. 1t
required more struggle to take 1t
than it would have required not to
have taken it.
This is very singular occurrence
madam. Tell us all about 1t. Dont
think that you are among those who
desire to see you punished, and rest
assured that | will stand by you.
Law OF no law, it makes no differ
eace. There is a court In the hu-
man heart, old woman, whose de
! crees 20 farther and are nearer TO
Justice than the written declarations
OF any tribunal.
The old woman again looked up.
Tears were in her eyes, but with a
corner. OF the old black shawl, drawn
around her shoulders, she wiped
them away.
"Oh. sir" she said, ITO make you
understand why took the flower
might be story too long TO tell II
a court, and it might be out OF place
to tell it any where to strangers, but
as YOU have spoken so kindly | viii
tell you. Years ago | lived IN tins
city. My yparents were well situated
and | was carefully reared. mar
ried a man whom everyone recog
nized as an elegant gentleman, but
to me he proved to be
druRken brute. At last be tool
our little boy and went away,
know not where, leaving me with ;
, baby lust two months old. My pa
rents had died, and ! went out int(
thelcountry and changed my name
! worked for living, heart broker
as | was. One day my little dar
ling was taken i'll. / took her II
NV arms and started toward town
where she might have the proper
medical attendance, but she seemed
10 grow worse. At last | knew shr
was diving and l sat down under {
2 tree. held her to my Bosom {
, long time, for she shiyered, anC
when | looked into her face agaiI
she was dead. A man who hveC
I near by made a coffin, and / burleC
t the little girl under the tree wher
: she had died. Then | went away
Il | know not how, and began a loni
= search for my husband not that
/ wanted him, but that | wanted ny
!, son. | must have gone Grey, for
}. was seized one day and taken to
mad-house. How long | RENAME,
;. there | don't know, but l coulI
see that / was much olde
looking than when / went in. Fron
4 time to time | implored the keep
er to let me out, but he refused
p About a month ago 1 saw an Oppo!
tunity and escaped. was not mad
J for when again under the clear SIX.
D the memory of my troubles were a
r though but day had passed.
G turned after much inquiry towar,
a my native place, and a few days ag
e arrived here, but | did not stol
until | had found my way to th
Il little grave under the tree. | ma
. carried stone and built a little wa
n around it, but briars and bushe
had grown up so thickly that coul
/ hardly find the place / cleared tn
It briars away and came to tow
While passing along the street l sa'
o this mans flowers. | stole gera
/ MUM pot, and it now sits on the li
e tie child's grave"
2; The flower dealer had sunk upo
II bench, Great God, Judge!" he el
n claimed, springing up, "the woma
, is nay mother
, Packing Butter IN Crooks.