The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-03-04
SAD SCENE IN a CoURr-Roon.
A Penitent Girl Refused Forgiveness b.
Her Father and Mother.

A Penitent Girl Refused Forgiveness by
Her Father and NJ other.
From time to time, says the Londoa
Stan dsrd, the annals OF the poles courts re-
veal domestic commonplace tragedies as re-
voltinely horrible as the modern Freach
school of realistic novelists could desire for
the framework of their u1romantic 70
msncss Now and again the social veil IS
drawn aside, and We are permitted to behold
pictures of homes without affection-of in
human csllousness upon background OF
squalor. Figures fit cross the scene in
the shape Of men and women, the product
Of centuries of civilization, but when
they come to speak we perceive that
their moral sense is clouded in a darkness as
of ban barism. They seem hardly to know
right from wrong; tbes are equally strangers
to loving kindness, to the twice blessed quail
ity Of mercy, and to the instinct of family
love. A strange, and in Its way terrible,
story ct every day misery, sin, repentance,
and unforgivenBess was brought to light at
West Ham on Thursday. A mere child, al
ready mother. girl of fifteen, with her
baby in her arms, appeared before the mag
isIaie charged with stealing a rag OF a
shawl. the property OF her father. The
mother stepped into the witness-box,
and with glib tongue told the story OF
her daughters shame ard crime, CALF
ing for the punishment of the law.
o. The previous Tuesday she had
missed ire garment, and finding at the same
time that the girl had decamped from what
these people call their home. she followed her
up. in company with policeman, and gave
her ia charge. At first the child-mother
denied the theft, but afterward confessed to
having taken and pawned the shawl, and in
proof thereof handed the duplicate to the
constable. So far there is nothing remark
ably out of the common in this conventional
revelation of a degraded aspect of existence
In a great city. The Registrar Generals an
nuaI returns give the exact number, for
every current year, of girls under sixteen,
not being married women. who are yet
mothers; nor is it particularly unusual to
find parents, in q certain rank OF
life, publicly charging their chill
dren with theft. Yet. if not without
parallel, such a case as this at West Ham is,
hal PLY, rare aud exceptional. When the
pr -ecuirix had told her story, and before
tt, Mss strate could intervene, the child
b, lself a mother-cried out piteously from
the dock, Mother, do forgive me!' To
which the mother replied, No. L can't; l
have done so too ofIeD." PROBABLY the wO
man was even then not without some jusdi-
cation. Maniiestly her child bad behaved
very badly. The girl. however, not to be
put Of, and, as it appeared deeply and truly
repentaDt sobbed forth: ''Oh, do forgive
ne, mother, and l won't do it snT more.
Sill the woman was obdurate. She
could not and would not extend
PARDON to her flesh and blood. ''01,
do try me once moreln cried the girl; bat
the prosecuting witness was not in a fOrgiv-
ing mood. No" said she, addressing her
child. last Saturday week you took sheet"
and, turning TO the Magistrate, added: "Sne
gees from home and stays away days TO.
gether, and is sometimes out all night"
The humane Magistrate, touched with tue
pathos of the scene, added his persuasioas
to those OF the prisoner. Il think il wo1ld
be better if you give her another chance"
said be, and the girl chimed in, Yes,
mother, do forgive ne" Still her parent
would not give way. She had called down
the punishment of the law upon her off.
spring, and did not mean 70 relent.
The magistrate. bound to administer the
law, yet anxious to blend mercy with JUS
tice, thought OF inquiIing whether the
father was present in court. There
upon that person stepped forward.
According to his account the child
was past his control. He was ashamed of
her and ashamed to own her. She, poor
creature, made no reply nor attempted any
defense. but only sobbed, "Oh, father
Evidently panied and puzzled, the msgis-
trate ordered the man to stand down, and,
addressing the prisoner, asked her whether
she would prefer that he should settle the
case, or that she should be sent for
trial. The child no doubt heard the
words, but most likely failed to grasp
their meaning She thought that pun
isbment or pardon lay with the womas
that bore her, not with the Court "Oh,
mother, do forgive mel Won't you forgive
me, mother OH do, do forgive me this
time. OH sir, do forgive me- Oh, dOl'
Such an appeal from girl-mother, however
much she may have erred, must have soft
ened hearts not made of adamant. Hard
pressed what to do, in face of the parent
prosecutors obduracy, the magistrate asked
the prisoner: will you go into homer
And for all answer this repentant, unpsr'
doned sinner said ~ would rather 90 home
to my father and mother, sir" There stood
the father and mother, inveterant against
their offspring, as Sbylock before
the feigned court at Venice; buI
there was no pretended advocate
to put a gloss upon the law and
snatch mercy by a russ. The parents did
not choose to pardon their child and take
her back to their home-tne least said about
| their hearts the better-snd the magistrate
wisely, mercifully, and prudently refused
to convict then and there. He used his
privilege of remand, and consequently the
| Last act of this commonplace tragedy is not
yet played out. Let rs hope that when nexi
the girl Eva Walker, aged sixteen. and with
child in her arms, is brought up before
kindly Mr.. Phillips at the West Ham Police
| Court her parents will likewise De present
and beg her release On the promise that they
will look after her and try to lead her back
TO the right path.