The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-03-01

was called IND confronted the police
judge
wX6uaFe x very old woman to be
in 4 plaea Of this kfnd,n said the
judge WHAT Il the charge against
turning 10 an officer. !.
''steaIina 4 pot Of flowers, your
'sWho made tle complaint n,
''Ididn replied a man. stepping
forward. II know that II looks hard
to haHe such an old woman arrested,
! anlfa law-gbiding citizen. judge.
and Iion,t Intend to be imposed on !,
THis y the way the whole thingcafne'
aboY I keep a. large flower depot.
Day before yesterday this women
cameinto my stol And when I ask
e. If she wanted anything. She
ST fai 1er head. Just then i cuEtdper
cane in and ] paid no attention to
her, but after she was gone, / diseov-
cred that a pot, containing a fine
geranium, was missing. / knew she
took it, and what she wanted with it
is more than l can tell. If she had
stolen something to eat or wear it
would have been a different thing"
The old woman looked up and said:
"Judge, stole the flower"
"Didn't you know it was wrong ?"
Eyes"
"Was the temptation so great you
could not withstand it?"
"There was no temptation. 1t re-
quired more of a struggle to take it
than it would have 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
desire to see you punished, and rest
assured that l will stand by you. Law
or no law, it makes no difference.
There is court in the human heart,
old woman. whose DEGREES go 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, "to make you
understand why l took the flower
might be a story too long to tell in a
court, and it might be out of place
to tell it to strangers but as you
haye spoken so kindly. l will tell
yolt, Years ago, lived in this city.
My parents were well situated and
l was carefully reared. l married a
man whom everyone recognized as
an elegant gentleman, but to me he
proved to be druken brute. At
last he took our little boy and went
away-I know not where-leaving
me with a. baby two months old.
My parents had died, and | went out
into the country and changed my
name. l worked for Lying, heart
broken as | was. One day my little
darling was taken ill. l took her in
my arms and started towards town,
where she might haye the proper
medical attention, but she seemed to
grow worse. At last / knew she was
dying. and sat down under tree.
held her to my bosom long time,
for she shivered, and when looked
again, she was dead. A man who
lived near by made a coffin, and
buried the little one under the tree
where she had died. Then / went
away-I know not how-and began
a long search for my husband; not
that wanted him, but that l wanted
my son. l must have gone crazy, for
| was seized one day and taken to a
mad-house. How long l remained
there | don't know, but l could see
that | was much older looking than
when | went in. From time to time
/ implored the keeper to let me out,
but he refused. About a month ago
l saw an opportunity and escaped. !
was not mad for when again under
the clear sky, the memory of my
troubles were as fresh as though but
day had passed. turned, after
much inquiry, toward my native
place. and a few days ago l arrived
here, but did not stop until l had
found my way to the little grave un
der the tree. l had carried stone anC
built little wall around it, but briar:
and bushes had grown up so thickly
that could hardly find the place.
cleared the briars away and came Il
town. While passing along the stree
saw this mans flowers. stole {
geranium pot, and it now sits on the
little child's grave"
The flower dealer had sunk upOr
bench. "Great God, judge ~ IN
exclaimed, sDringing up. 1.-THE wo
man is my mOther!"