Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-01-27
CHAPTER XVIII.


entity called public sentiment. We hard
+ lyknow how to define it. Itseems to be the
general running of minds in one direc-
ton. Usually there are one or two per-
sons in every community, neighbor-
, hood or society who are local magnets,
| and draw about them class of inferior
! persons who follow their thoughts, and
! are said to be molders of public senti-
ment. If they are right, public senti-
! ment is right, if wrong, public senti-
ment is wrong. The great molder of
| public sentiment in the Sandy Fork
neighborhood was Judge Arnold. He
was authority on all questions, either
social or political, and when he took
! stand the other people, or a majority
i at least, were sure to be with him. The
very fact that the Judge had filed COM
plant against Helen Lakeman, charg-
! ing her with grand larceny, was
enough to convince nearly every per-
son in the Sandy Fork neighborhood
that she was guilty.
"She's poor girl" said Mr.. Taylor,
when discussing the matter with his
family, ''but then she has fallen. 1t is
not the first girl who has fallen. The
temptation was great and she was weak.
The Judge was, perhaps, a little too
severe on her."
Il don't pity her much" said Mrs.
Taylor; "she was always little stuck
up thought, and it may be this will
lower her a notch or two"
Helen's pretty face had caused many
to envy her. The prevailing opinion
was that she was guilty. Not a voice,
save Clarence Stuart's and her attor-
ney'S, was raised in her defense. Clar-
ence was loud i'll his protcstations of
her innocence. He tried in every way
he could to get his brothers address, so
that he might write to him, but his
father was careful that he should not
have it.
Clarence was blowing in the field one
day when VIII Taylor, son of Mr.. John
Taylor, the farmer whose farm Joined
Mr.. Arnold's, passed down the lane.
Will was one of those indolent fellows,
who enjoyed sitting on the fence and
talking on any subject better than
work.
"Well, Clarry, they've got that gal in
Jail yet" said VIII, when he had made
Clarence pull up in the fence corner,
and stop his team. 1t was only day
or two after the visit of the young
farmer and his sister to Helen, and the
youth was in no amiable mood.
"It's all blamed lie," said Clar-
cnce.
Will Taylor grinned. VIII was q
rcd-headed, freckle-faced youth, OF
about Clarcnce's own age, and Clar.
ence was ready to ''whip him for two
cents" When Will grinned he was g
most hideous person to behold. His
teeth were large, and face sharp.
Eye can't buck agin' public senti
ment, Clarry," said Will. "Publie
sentiment is agin' her, and she's sure
to be convicted"
II don't care cent for public senti
ment, Will; she's innocent"
Again VIII grinned triumphantly.
people are jist like sheep" said
Clarence. There's always bell.
wether that all the rest foller. If you
want them to go through gateway
and the bell-wethcr starts another di
rection, then every doggon sheep goe.
u1USL IL 81 WIFI OAI
;, Jim Arnold is the bell-wether, and, al
though reason and humanity says he'
= gone wrong, every fool will follow him
! Now, sometimes you see sheep that
got more sense than the bell-wether
: He sees green grass to the right ant
goes there. 1t makes no difference how
much the old bell-wether may ring hi
; bell and bleat. You call that sheer
|, stubborn and contrary, but he's right
That sheep is just as smart as the bell
4 wether, but he didn't have the bell on
Old Jim Arnold wears the big bell, bu
I'm not fool enough to follow him t.
: purgatory for it. I'd rather be RICH
than be Jim Arnold"
}. al suppose you think you've got NOR
, sense than all the rest of us pu
' together" said Will, little nettled.
) 81 say I've got more honesty thai
{ Jim Arnold. Nobody but him stops t.
>. think about this matter at all. FL
thinks, and they all do as he says. An
y one who says Helen Lakeman stol
:, that bracelet is liar, an 1 kin licl
! 'em out o. their boots"
Will did not fancy fight with tn
, youthful Hercules. To use Clarence
own smile, he was "jest as strong a
an OK"
j. "Oh, well, We needn't be gettin' o
your muscle about this now" sal
young Taylor, "nobody's goin' to figh
;. about that gal, I guess"
''lam. Idon't think much O. fightin
|, only when 1 see doggoned, rec
| ID 1oI