Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1889-09-17

imagine Judge or jury would acquit mef
"But.n ] urged again, tif you had a dear
friend a victim to this disease-if it is dis
ease Would you judge her so sternlyp
II would. ! could far sooner forgive
poor. starving wretch who took my purse
when driven by want to crime, than | could
a thief, who, needing nothing, robbed sa.s,
and called the robbery kleptomania"
"But If il were a lady, delicate and re-
fined, you would not send her to share the
prison Of common felons."
II would, if she had fitted herself for then
society by sharing their crime Indeed, |
should judge such a case far more severely
for there is no shadow Of excuse for it. A
poor girl, ignorant and starving. would have
far more leniency at my hands than lady
who could so lower herself
looked at Agnes. She was pale as death,
and in her eyes was a steady. mournful look
| had never before seen there.
Carroll she said, ''if you had a dear
friend who was afflicted with kieptomania,
how would you advise her to overcome ths
temptatonp
Something in the voice of bis betrothed
moved Carroll deeply, for he replied. with a
strange solemnty;
"As all other temptations must be over
come by constant struggle and feryent
prayer
! thought the time had come for these two
to fully understand the painful position, and
made some excuse to leave the room
Not until heard Carroll go upstairs to his
own apartment would re-enter the drawing
room. Agnes was there, deathly pale, but
with certain womanly expression new tC
her sweet face.
II have told him. she said; and her voice
sounded hollow and forced. He viii MOI
give me up, but have resolved to leave you
all for a long, long time. will try TO over
come the affection Of my life by struggle anc
prayer, as Carroll advises. If | conquer
will return; if not. CAROLS wife shall never
be thief
She rose as she spoke, and, kissing me fond
ly, went to her room. | thought to have
long talk with her, to offer sympathy anc
counsel, but in the morning We found hen
room vacant, the bed undisturbed. Sh,
wrote to me soon, telling me she had walkeC
to N and caught the midnight express
81 leave home today she wrote, "and un
| less can come back cured will come bach
no more.n
| In her room found all the little trinkets
had supposed were in Hannah's hands. Car
roll and talked often and gravely Of th,
child he loved sometimes hopefully, bu
often, as time wore away, sadly. For mi
/ grandson had repented often of his harsh
stern Judgment, and was willing to thinl
there was really disease in fault.
"And YETI he would say, with mournfu
eyes, 'if it was kleptomania that made Ag
mes take your trinkets, why should we hav'
sent to Sing Sing the burglar who wa
caught stealing the plate a few years ago
That poor wretch was driven to crime b,
starvation, but there was no sentimentalitl
in his lawyers plea. He was merely this
and received the punishment Of a thief"
Sand you would send Agnes to Sim
SingF
Heaven Forbid I cannot cease to Low
her, and pray that she may come back to u
as she promised
So two years wore away and we though
Agnes was lost TO US Carroll came ever
week as usual to spend Sunday with me- an
we talked Of his betrothed as we talk Of th
dearly loved dead.
On Saturday afternoon | was IN my ow
room sewing, when knock upon my doc
was followed by tho entrance Of lady,
little lady. who stood hesitating about ontei
ing till | said;
"Agnes, dear child, welcomen
Then she nestled in my arms in the old lol
ing way. But in her face / read the truth
longed to see, that she had overcome h'
temptation.
The baby look was gone and the viols
eyes, retaining all their sweetness, were fu
Of gentle dignity Tho baby manner, tot
had vanished in quiet, lady hike deportmen
very graceful and winsome.
my dear, dear child,r said, taking O
her hat and sacque, you are more than we
oomen
"You will believe me, then,n she said carr
eetly, when tell you that have conQuere
my fault, my criminal inclination | loo
back with wonder on my own weak yieldin
20 temptation that leads strong mon
prison cells, and which only morbid sentinjel
would ever excuse as an irresistible disease
| assured her most warmly OF my sincei
belief in her statement my deep JOY in b,
triumph She told me Of hor struggles al
the gradusl wearing off Of the desire to a
propriate The property Of others.
"For a year, she said, 81 have purpose
) watched opportunities for theft for you Al
the only one that ever detected me, excep
ing Carroll, who knows of my Ole n1rmit
could have stolen largely from friends
r visited, for even my own parents knew not
ing Of my old temptation. But the desire b
left me, and feel only loathing and contem
, for the shallow excuss with which | on
4 quieted nay conscience. Carroll may tru
, melH
Z And Carroll did trust her, and has new
E regretted his confidence Hs comes, wi
his wife and children, 70 pass the SUNNI
s months at Locust Grove, and he is not mo
I stern and strict in his teaching to the It'll
4 ones of the value OF honesty than is Agns
I his wife, who once believed herself an
r durable case Of kleptomania. Anna
4 Shields In New York Ledger