The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-03-07
THE DIAMOND CRESCENT,

/ The day was bitter cold, and the
crowds hurrying along Broadway turned
neither tn right nor to left in their haste
10 reach home and the comforts of the
freside.
was sitting in my office on the
ground hoor, watching the restles peonle
and philosophlzng as l have a habit of
doing upon the differences in human
cond tion, when my attention was sud.
denly arrested by child wearing upon
her breast superb diamond crescent of
purest water and bri.liancy. Before I
mad time to formulate any opinion as To
how SO magnificent Jewel could have
come into the possession of child or m
wonder why its parents or guardians
permitted It to wear such a valuable
trinket upon the public streets an officer
had the little one in his grasp.
Looking at it 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
garments, although scrupulously neat.
were far from expensive, nevertheless an
unaccountable excitement took nosses.
SION OF e,and rushed to her assistan q
demanding of the officer authoritativelv
Upon what charge do you make this
arrestP ''-''
lnstlnctlyely recognizing friend, the
tenlhed child besought me not TO allow
the olhcor TO take her to all.
Look at that pin, the little thiefp'
the officer said roughly, making a move
ment to drag the child away.
'S-opw l. commanded, indignantlv
now, for had made up NV mind thai
the child should at least have hearing
"Who says she a thiefln
~ say so" returned the officer sharnlv
know EN-, these street gamins, and
precious lot they are She's a regular
one, this one is.
Indeed, sir, am not thief! oh.
am not, am not! l didn't mean to do .
wrong. wanted TO find my own papa
that Miss Adele says the crescent will .
surely find" "
The officer laughed coarsely. "That
is fine, isn't it9 Highly dram Itic for one
so young. You see / know EN-; thev
come in all ages from"
"Olhcer, VI interrupted him, for a
crowd was gathering now, despite the
biting cold, and | did not much enjoy
my position as one of the central tigures
step with me into my ofice while we
hear the little ones story. | am con.
Vlnced that you have no more right to
arrest TINS child because she wears a costly
ornament when walking quietly along
the publ street than you would have to
arrest the wife or daughter of million.
are under like circumStan, Yon
Know who am, and if the facts do NOT
coirobortte the story this child tells
nom &c 10 deli'er her over to you in the
next lew hours"
"All iighl," said the officer stake
her; you'll be wiser in The next twenty
four hours, l'l wager"
And 30 | was, but not iust as the of.
iicer ant cipatel. The child told me a
singular story between her sobs. and
facts pro ed il strictly true. Indeed. as
had the little one in my office before
the hre, warm and comfortable excent
Tor the effects OF her fright. | had time
10 see that her features and expression
were 'ho'e OF young princess of the
blood clear-cut, exquisite and truthful.
9he was as far removed from the youth
'ul untortunates brought up in vice and
crime as is heaven from earth.
The gist of her ory was that she was
great mans daughter, and the only way
'he would ever find her papa was 6y the
crescent, which he would recognize. she
ived with Miss Adele, a music teacher
md they had very little money. Miss /
Adele had cried that morning because
heir coa' was nearly gone and she had no
money 10 buy more.
''N hen Adele had gone out put the
'rescent on, and came to lind papa, for l |
lnew that il he saw that he would buy us
ome more wood aud coal, A" the child .
to me earnestly.
hailed a cab at the conclusion of the i
ale and took the child TO the street and I
lumber given me. A tall, graceful
woman OF twenty-five or theleabout wei. ,
omed us with emotion. 5
"Mhy, my dear f a. she cried. clasp I
ng the child TO her "where have YOU /
'eeni i have been almost crazy with 5
p1iety about you"