The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-03-25

10 the cold, damp air, when the window
was closed they choked with its noxious
vapors. In this foulness the mother sick
ened and died as hundreds are dying
every year in just such loathesome pla-
ces in the very shadows Of the most lux
urious homes on this continent.
The youngest OF the boys was then
but few months old,th other a year or
two older. Then another woman entered
the cellar, whether wife or not ! never
heard. After that the cellar was thea
ater Of drunkenness, and the boys, there
were two OF tkem said, knew ouly cold,
hunger and beating.
sThs cellar grew colder and barer the
little furniture that was there disappeared
aud there remained only filthy bed on
the floor, few foul and tattered cover
lids, bench, two chairs without backs
anc a rude, three-legged board table
against the WALL
That wur dads crib,' exclaimed the
prisoner, lit wur; ysas, that wur dads
crib e
Judge Ihrie, if he heard the Interrupt
tion. passed it over without notice
The boys he continued, suffered.
When they became old enough they were
driven into the streets and commanded
to steal. They filched cotton from bales
on the wharves, sugar from hogsheads,
scraps of iron and everything else that
Junk dealers would purchase wherever
they could lay hands upon them. When
successful the boys we're half FED, when
empty handed beaten.
'0ne day the younger Of the two stole
watch and was arrested with 1t in his
possession; the proof of his crime was
clear and conclusive When the boy
stood in the prisoners dock, as this man
stands now, the older brother came and
stood beside him and, laying his hand
upon the child's shoulder, he exclaimed,
SAY, Jimmy what ur they doin' to you 2
why, jedge that wus me, that wus,
exclaimed the prisoner who, for the first
time, exhibited unmistskable evidence OF
interest in the judges narrative. Yes,
that wus me, that wus. That's what
said to Jimmy. stood by little jimmy,
tyou bet! Poor little Jimmy, and they
let HIM starve. I'd better let him gone
up, jedge; yes ! had. They'd fed him
then, yes they would, and ] went and
tux his food, and Jimmy was turned out
to starve.' #
sYes,' continued the judge, Jimmy
the youngest boy was released. The
older accused himself of the crime, and
declared that he gave the younger boy
the watch found on his person and was
sent to prison for it. The younger boy
protested in court that it was be and not
the older who was guilty.
You're right, jedge, that you are.
Little Jimmy was the gamest little
chicken that ever went hungty.' Q
But, continued the Judge. 'it was the
younger who was the criminal it was be
who stole the watch =
NO, Il wurrunt! No, it wurruut! the
prisoner holly exclaimed; 'it wur me
Do you hear3 Aad yer shau't put it on
Jimmy-poor little kid
Judge Ihrie proceeded: when the
older boy was carried away in prison
van the younger was taken bv noble
gentleman who sent him with five other
boys to Pennsylvania. There the five
boys found homes with farmers
And Jimmy was one of them! ex-
claimed the excited prisoner. Jimmy
sent 70 q farm, aud the little kid, my lit.
tie Jimmy, didn't starve. That's bully.
I'm glad I went up. Now, sock it to me
all yes want to-
Country life agreed with the little
boy Judge Ihrie continued. AT heart
he was not thief. He stole under Or
ders and to save himself from beating,
and he was canning 10 stealing to pre-.
serve himself from prison. He had never
heard that it was immoral and wicked.
He had never heard the name Of the
good God except 10 proclamation. You
see this bov was ignorant, profoundly
ignorant. He was heather in q Chris
tian. laud;. a heathen surrounded by
churches and schools. and such, unfor-
tunately. exist in all-our great-eihes. On
the farm this little boy breathed the
healthtul air of the country and the still
more healthful air or Christian home ;
his ears were charmed with the songs OF
birds and his mind 6lled with the noblest
teachings OF morality. He lived in the
atmosphere OF q Christian farm home,
pure and sweet. There he grew strong
in body, and he learned lessons which
filed bis soul With horror Of the life be
had escaped
At this point lady stood by the
judges side 1t was Judge lhrie's wife
She entered the court room casually and
hearing her husband speaking, pressed
through the eager throng of listeners
until she s,ood by his side. The judge
looked down in her velvet eyes and her
pretty face shaded with wealth of au-
burn curls, and for an instant emile H.
lumined his pale countenance. One OF
the membars OF the bar offered the lady
chair. She sat down and laid her hand
softly on the left hand of her husband,
with which he grasped mis- crutch.
When she had done this the Judge
continued:
"This boy labored with all his ability,
and he never was pushed beyond it. 10
winter he attended the district school,
A thirst for knowledge came to him.
At eighteen years Of age the noble far
mer, who bad already given the hoy his
name, gave him the remaining three
years Of his time. The boy continued
to labor and to learn, At twenty-three
he had graduated in college and was ad.
mi.ted to the bar. Then he went to
search for the older brother"
Did hel Did he T exclaimed the pris-
oncr, leaping to his feet In his excite
ment. did Jimmy GO for to hunt for
Bill after he was q scholler2 That was
like little Jimmy! He was game, little
Jimmy he was. But he didn't 6nd me-
Nav, wus gone, wus!
The woman by the judges side look
ed the excited speaker eagerly over, aud
all color fed out of her face.
MOT added Judge Ihrie; 'the younger
boy did not find bis elder brother. The
cellar was gone. A great mercantile
house covered it. So commerce drives
poverty farther back upon itself and
walls it about as il it were q leprosy.-
And he could find no trace OF his elder
brother Afterward be made 70 y othel