The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-02-09
Stole a Flower.
from the Arsansaw Traveller

An old woman, with long, gray hair,
stepped forward when her name was
called, and confronted the police Judge.
"You are very old woman to be in O
place of this kind" said the jadge.
"What is the charge against her?
turning to an officer.
"Stealing a pot of flowers, your
honor"
"Wbo made the complaint p
did, replied man, stepping for
ward. 81 know that 1t looks hard to
have such an old woman arrested, but l
am law-abiding citizen, Judge, and !
don't intend to be imposed ON. This is
the way the whole thing came about: l
keep a large flower depot. Day before
yesterday this woman came into the
store, and when / asked her if she want
ed to buy anything, she shook her head.
Gust then a customer came In ana paid
no attention to her, but after she was
gone discovered that pot contrasting
fine geranium was missing. / know
she took it. ard what she wanted with
it is more than | can tell. If she had
stolen something to eat or to wear it
would have been different thing"
The old woman looked up and said
Judge, stole the flower"
Didn't you know it was wrong?"
Yes"
Was the temptation so great that
you could not Withstand it?"
There was no temptation. II re-
qnired more of q struggle to take it
than it would have required not to have
taken it,"
This is very singular occurrence,
madam. Tell US all about it. Don't
think that you are among those who de-
sire to see you punished, and rest as
sured that I : i stand by you. Law or
no law, it makes no difference. There
is court in the human heart, old wo-
man, whose DEGREES go farther and are
nearer to justice than the written decla-
rations of any tribunal"
The old woman again looked up.
Tears were in her eyes, but with the
corner Of the old black shawl, drawn
around her shoulders, she wiped them
away.
"Oh, sir" she said, "to make you
understand why I took the flower might
be story too long to tell in q court, and
it might be out of place to tell it any,
where to strangers, but as you have
spoken so kindly l will tell you. Years
ago / lived in this city. My parents
were well situated. aud / was care
fully reared. / married man whom
every one recognized as an elegant gen
tleman, but to me he proved to be a
drunken brute. At last he took our lit
tie boy and went away, 1 knew not
where, leaving me with baby just two
months old. NV parents bad died, and
| went out into the country and changed
my name. / worked for living, heart
broken as I was. One day my little
darling was taken ILL., / took her in my
arms and started toward town. where
she might have the proper medical at
tendance, but she seemed to grow worse.
At last 1 knew she was dying, and 1
sat down under tree. | held her to
my bosom long time, for she shivered,
and when / looked into her face again
she was dead. A man who lived near by
made a coffin, and / buried the little
g1rl under the tree where she had died.
Then [ went away, know not how, and
began q long search for my husband;
not that wanted him, but that wanted
my SOD. 1 must have gone crazy, for /
was seized one day and taken to mad
house. How long 1 remained there 1
don't know, but | could see that / was
mucU OlutF IOOhluR 'udD WHeD l. went
10. From time to time I implored the
keeper to let me out, but be refused.
About a month ago saw an opportunity
aud escaped. l was not mad; for when
again under the clear sky the memory
of my troubles were as though but day
had passed. / turned after much in
quiry TO ard my native place, and a few
days ago / arrived here, but / did not
stop until | bad found my way to the lit
tie grave under the tree. l had carried
stone and built little wall around it.
but briars and bushes had grown up so
thickly that l could hardly find the place.
1 cleared the briars away and came to
town. While passing along the street
/ saw this mans flowers. / stole ge-
ranium pot and it now sits on the little
child's grave"
The flower dealer had sunk upon a
bench "Great God, judge" he ex-
claimed, springing up, 1.-THE woman is
mother -