The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-03-01

THE DIAMOND CRESCENT.
The day was bitter cold, and the
crowds hurrying along Broadway turned
neither TO right nor to left in their haste
to reach home and the comforts of the
fireside.
1 was sitting in my Office on the ground
floor, Watching the restless people and
philosophizing, as have habit Of doing
upon the differences in human condition
when my attention was suddenly arrested
by child wearing upon her breast a su-
purb diamond crescent of purest water
and brilliancy. Before had time to for
mulate any opinion as to how so magnif-
cent Q jewel could have come into the
possession of child, or to wonder why
its parents or guardians permitted it to
wear such valuable trinket upont he pub
io streets, an officer had the little one in
his grasp.
Looking at 1t nationally, nothing would
have seemed more probable than that the
child was a thief, for did not fail to
notice in my first glance that her gar
ments, although scrupulously neat, were
far from expensive, nevertheless an unac-
countable excitement took possession of
me, and I rushed to her assistance, de-
manding of the officer authoritatively,
"Upon what charge do you make this
arrest
Instinctively recognizing friend, the
terrified child besought me not to allow
the officer to take her to Jail.
"Look at the pin, the little thief " the
officer said roughly, making movement
to drag the child away.
"Stop!" l commanded, Indignantly
now, for had made up my mind that the
child should at least have a hearing.
Who says she is thief ?"
"I say So" returned the officer sharp
ly. Il know 'em, these street gamins,
and precious lot they are! She's reg
ular one, this one is"
"Indeed, sir, l am not thief! am
not, / am not! l didn't mean to do
wrong. l wanted 10 find my own papa,
that Miss Adele says the crescent will
surely find"
The officer laughed coarsely. "That is
fine, isn't it? Highly dramatic for one
80 young. You see / know 'em; they
come in all ages from"
"Officer," l interrupted him, for a
crowd was gathering now, despite the
biting cold, and I did not much enjoy my
position as one Of the central figures,
"step with me into my Office while we
hear the little ones story. am convinced
that you have no more right to arrest
this child because she wears costly or
nament while walking quietly along the
public street, than you would have to ar
rest the wife or daughter Of millionaire
under like circumstances. You know
who am, and if the facts do not corro-
borate the story this child tells
promise to deliver her over to you in the
next few hours"
Gall right" said the officer, take her
you will be wiser in the next twenty-foul
hours, I'll wager"
And 40 was, but not just as the officer
anticipated. The child told me a singu
lar story between her sobs, and facts
proved it strictly true. Indeed. as had
the little one in my Office before the fire
warm and comfortable, except for the eff
fects Of her fright, had time to see thai
her features and expression were those o
q Young princess of the blood, clear cut
exquisite and truthful. She was as fal
removed from the youthful unfortunates
brought up in vice and crime as is HEAVIER
from earth.
The gist of her story was that she wa
q great mans daughter, and the only
way she would ever find her papa was BY
the crescent, which he would recognize
She lived with Miss Adele, a music
teacher, and they had very little money
Miss Adele had cried that morning be
cause their coal was nearly gone and sh'
had no money to buy more.
"When Adele had gone out l put tn
crescent on, and came to find papa, for
knew that if be saw that he would bu,
| us some more wood and coal, the chile
| confded to me earnestly.
I hailed cab at the conclusion OF tn
| tale and took the child to the street ant
! number given me. A tall, graceful wo
man Of twenty-five or thereabouts wei
coined us with emotion.
"Why, my dear Eva" she cried, clasp
ing the child to her, "where have 20,
beens have been almost crazy wit
anxiety about you."
But Just at this moment Miss Adeii
caught sight of me, and, drawing hersel
up With dignity, she waited for an expla
nation of my presence there. Stat'n
the case briefly, l asked her to tell m
something about the child.
"Iwili, sill" she said, motioning me
! be seated with grace / have rarely see
euualled. "The sole guardianship Of lii
tie Eva fell to me- very strangely" On
began. clam the daughter Of clergy
man. and while teaching music In my ns
! tive village ia the West, it happened tha
one winters night some eight years sine
Ia night not unlike what this promise
| to be-my father aud / we're startled b
means st our windows. Inyestigatio
showed . woman and child. Both wer
| nearly frozen, and the woman, once in tn
heated room, swooned. We summoned
physician, bat sha recovered consciou
| nees only TO lose il sgain, until we foun
! that she was dying. Toward the last u
| poor creature muttered wildly and inc
| herently, and seemed 70 be IN mort'
i terror Of ,panishmsnt for some gre'
4 crime. Just q tke lsst, however, she b
I carns entirely rational and made ir.nt
"a neal s.st4sn~ Q.~$st~s kAAsfM "a tall 4