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

The day was bitter cold, and the
crowds hurying along Broadway turned
neither to right nor to left in their haste
to reach home and the comforts of the
tireside.
was sitting in my office on the
ground hoor, watching the restles people
and philcsophizlng as have a habit OF
doing upon the differences in human
cond tion, when my attention was sud
denly arrested by a child wearing upon
her breast a superb diamond crescent of
purest water and briiliancy. Before
had time TO formulate any opinion as to
how 50 magnificent Jewel could have
come into the possession of child, or to
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 rat.onally, 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 posses
sion OF me, and rushed to her assistan e.,
demanding of the officer authoritatively'
Upon what charge do you make this
arrestf
lnstinctively recognizing friend, the
terrified child besought me not to allow
the officer 10 take her to all
Look at that pin, the little thief p'
the officer said roughly, making a move
ment to drag the child away.
"SLopw commanded, Indignantly
now, for had made up my mind that
the child should at least have a hearing
''Who says she IS a thieflr
~ say So returned the officer sharply.
81 know 'em. these street gamins, and a
precious lot they are She's regular
one, this one is
Indeed, sir, | am not a theft Oh. I
am not, am mott | didn't mean TO do
wrong. WANTED TO find my own papa
that Miss Adele says the crescent will
surely ind.n
The officer laughed coarsely. "That
is fine, isn't itg Highly dramatic for One
SO young. You see / know 'em; they
come in all ages FROM
'Officer,"I interrupted him, for a
crowd was gathering now, despite the
biting cold, and did not much enjoy
my position as one OF the central figures.
"step with me into my o.iice while we
hear the little ones story. | am con.
WINGED that you have no more right to
arrest this child because she wears costly
ornament when walking quietly along
the publ street than you would have TO
arrest the wife or daughter of million
aire under like Circumstance You
know who am, and If the facts do not
colrobonte the story this child tells
prom &c 10 deliser her over to you in the
next few hours"
"All light" said the officer, "take
her; you'll be wiser in The next twenty
four hours. Pll wager"
And 80 | was, but not lust as the Of
ticer ant cipatoi. The child told me a
singular story between her sobs. and
facts proved 1t strictly true. Indeed, as
l had the little one in my office before
the tre, warm and comfortable except
for the effects of her fright. / had time
to see that her features and expression
were those of young princess of the
blood clear-cut, exquisite and truthful.
She was as far removed from the youth
ful unfortunates brought up in vice and
crime as is heaven from earth.
The gist Of her S. ory was that she was
a great mans daughter, and the only way
she would ever find her papa was 6y tho
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 because
their coai was nearly gone and she had no
money TO buy more.
'M hen Adele had gone out put the
crescent on, and came to lind papa, for !
knew that il he saw that he would buy us
some more wood aud coal, the child
confided to me earnestly.
! hailed a cab at the conclusion of the
tale and took the child TO the street and
number given me. A tall, graceful
woman Of twenty-five or heleabout wei
coined US with emotion.
"Mhy, my dear f a, f" she cried, clasp
ing the child TO her, where have YOU
beenl have been almost crazy with
anxiety about you"