San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-02-14
ANN BEDE'S DEBT.

the shapeless building, effaced the walls
and glued itself to the windows, conceal
ing their frosty Towering.
In the hall itself the air was thick and
sitting. 1t snelled ofsheep skins, peas
ants, eau de vie, and the leaden ventila-
ors in the upper glasses Of the skylight
turned slowly and slothfully.
The jurors. too, leaned YEARLY against
the backs Of their chairs. One of them
had closed MS eyes and Lat his hand fall
inert, lulled to somnolance by the monet
onous scratching Of the clerks pei.
Another tapped and softly beat the rat
a-plan with his pencil on the table.
The president pushed his spectacles to
the tip of his nose and rnopped his damp
brow, his stern gray eyes, with = glacial
stare, bent fHsdly upon the door whence
would tissue the culprits in course Of
trial, and on whom they waited to pro
nounce the sentence.
lis there not still another one?' de-
mapded he, presently, OF the sleepy look
ing tipstaf at his elbow in s-hard, TT
sonant voice.
"One," responded the other: "a girl"
"Eh bien! bring her ia then" laid the
president.
Tho crier called, the door opened, the
girl entered.
A current OF fresh air glided in with
her and softly famed the faces and
tickled the lashes of the curious assist
ants. At the same moment q ray oil
40 oh f,ry 4
danced between tho frosty etchings OF
the panes across the dusty walls and
furniture of the hall of audience.
"a girl' had said the tipstaff-a child
rather, scarcely more than on the verge
Of maidenhood, and so pretty in her little
furred jacket, embroidered with wreaths
and blossoms and fitting like the skin the
rounded waist, straight and slender as
the stem of a young palm. Her black
eyes were lowered to the floor. but her
white brow was clear and unclouded.
what is it that you have done, my
child Questioned the president inditfer-
emily.
The girl nervously rearranged hei
handkerchief that covered her head
caught her breath heavily, then answered
signing;
my affair is sad, NJ. lie President
very, very sad
Her voice. soft and dolorous, went t.
the heart like good music, that, ever
when one hears it no longer, seems sti!I
to vibrate in the air and change ever
thing by its mysterious influence.
The faces of the jurors were no longer
80 morose. The portrait of the king, and
farther away still OF the Judex Curia,
appeared 10 make 10 her from the silent
wall benignant signs, encouraging heI
TO bravcly recount the affair $50 very
very sad
But SEQ you. said she, this writing
1T will tell you better than | can"
Only she had first 10 seek it; TO unclasI
the buttons Of her cOrsage and draw il
! from her bosom-a piece of cracking
parchment, stamped and closed with the
| ponderous official seal.
"a Judgment" murmured the presi'
dent, running his eye over the paper, 80
Judgment against Anne Bede, assigned
TO begin today punishment of sis
| months Imprisonment"
The girl nodded sorrowfully; the hand
lerchief, loosened by the movement, fell
| from her head, and q heavy treSs of her
long black hair, all unbound, yelled her
features. 1t sought, perhaps, TO shield
them from the gaze of the people, for If
she was white az a lily while ago, she
was purple with shame at this moment.
ut is week since we received II,
stanmered she in broken voice. The
court officer brought it himself and ex'
| planned what il wished to tell rs, and
my poor mother said TO me: Thou must
go, my child, the law is the law, and
one should not take it as pleasantly.
have come, therefore, to-to begin the
six monthsr
The president wiped his glasses, then
wiped them again, his cold, stern gaze
seeking the faces Of his colleagues, the
windows, the floor, the great iron stove,
through whose grated door fiery ewes