Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-02-06
Stole a Flower,

AN Old woman, with long. gray hair,
stepped forward when her narne was
called, and confronted the police Judge.
" You are very old woman to be in q
place of this kind" said the iudce.
!" What is the charge against herY
turning to an officer.
"Stealing q pot of flowers, your
honor"
"Who made the complaint?"
" I did, replied a man, stepping for
ward. 6 I know that it looks hard to
have such an old woman arrested, but I
am . law-abiding citizen, Judge, and ]
don't intend to be imposed on. This is
the way the whole thing came about: I
keep large flower depot. Day before
yesterday this woman came into the
store, and when I asked her if she want
ed to buy anything, she shook her head.
Just then a customer came in andI paid
no attention to her, but after she was
gone discovered that q pot containing
fine geranium was missing. I know
she took it. and what she Yanted with
it is more than I 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, I stole the flower"
Didn't you know it was wrong?"
eyes,"
Was the temptation so great that
you could not withstand it?"
There was no temptation. It re.
quired more of a 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 will 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, sto make you
understand why I took the flower might
be story too long to tell in a 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 I lived in this city. My parents
were we'll situated, and l was care
fully reared. I married man whom
every one recognized as an elegant gen.
tleman, but to me he proved to be q
drunken brute. At last he took our lit
tie boy and went away, I knew not
where, leaving me with a baby just two
months old. My parents had died, and
went out into the country and changed
my name. I worked for living, heart
broken as I was. One day my little
darling was taken i'll. I 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 knew she was dying, and
sat down under a tree. held her to
my bosom long time, for she shivered,
and when I looked into her face again
she was dead. Aman who lived near by
made coffin, and I buried the little
girl under the tree where she had died.
Then went away, know not how, and
began long search for my husband
not that I wanted him, but that WANTED
my son. I must have gone crazy, for
was seized one day and taken to mad
house. How long I remained there ]
don't know, but could see that I wa!
much older looking Than when I went
in. From time to time I implored thu
keeper to let me out, but he refused
About q month ago saw an opportunity
and escaped. 7 was not mad; for whel
again under the clear sky the memoir,
of my troubles were as though but da!
had passed. I turned after much in
quiry toward my native place, and few
days ago arrived here, but did no
stop until had found my way to the lit
tie grave under the tree. I had carriet
stone and built little wall around it
but briars and bushes had grown up E,
thickly that could hardly find the place
I cleared the briars away and came t
town. While passing along the stree
I saw this mans flowers. I stole a ge
ranium pot and it now sits on the littl
child grave"
The flower dealer had sunk upon
bench. "Great God, judge" he ex
claimed. springing up, "the woman i
my mother"