Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-01-23
HELEN LAKEMAN:
Tho Story of a Young Girls Strug-
gle With Adversely.

MI Arnold was impatient TO nave
this ''scene," as he called it, over with.
Ell say, Bclchcr," he said, "why don't
you take her on and stop that bawling;
| swear don't want such an uproar in
my house."
"But, Judge" said the sheriff, re-
spectfully, for he seemed aware of the
fact that his reelection depended, in n
great measure, upon the efforts of the
man before him. "what am to do with
the child? can't put it in prison."
"Send it to the poor-house.
"Humph! can't do that without an
order from the court" said the sheriff,
with frown.
"I could"
"Well. I can not" said the puzzled
sheriff "The court will have to de-
clare it a pauper first"
"Well, then leave the child here with
me; can take it there, and Bill Jones
win keep it for me until the court sets.
He owes his position rs proprietor of
the poor-house to me-"
"Yes,y can probably manage it that
way. The child is sick"
Eyes, but not dangerous.
al kind o'hate to part them"
20 poh they'll forget each other in
hess than three days. They are more
brute than human. with no feeling save
that of hunger, cold OF. heat, just as any
other animal"
Was James Arnold speaking his real
opinion Certainly not, though there
are many others of his like who advance
the same argument. Oh, if it should
only be carried home, that he might
feel the bitter pangs of tearing heart
strings asunder, would he not turn
missionary for the cause of the poor,
depressed, and oft times wronged Grim
inals
Take her away, Belcher, take her
away at once" said Judge Arnold, his
shin so high that mercy was over
looked.
"Well, but Judge, this is matter I'd
not like to be hasty in; can hardly
bring myself to tear that girl from her
brother. Good Heavens if she should
be innocent after all"
"Do you think am fool and per-
jurerP' cried Arnold, angrily.
mo, no." answered the sheriff, apoi.
ogetically, 81 did not know but what
there might be n mistake"
"Well, sir, think there is no mistake
about it, unless you make one in not
doing your duty"
II think will do my duty as an
official, Judge, if know it," said
Belchcr, holly.
at is very clear; 1 doa't see how you
can help seeing it."
The utter hcartlessness of Arnold
vexcd the sheriff, but he was forced to
perform his duty as an officer, painful
as it might be.
He went up to the girl, who, know
ing what was coming, had been school
ing herself to recover her self-posscs-
sion, and said:
"Come, Miss Helen, get ready; 1
must take you to Newton"
"Can my little brother go?" she
asked, pleadingly. ''l1e is so small, so
infrm, and so fond of me that he can
hardly live without my care"
''Oh, he will be treated with the most
tender care, assure you," said the
sheriff, al can not take him to-day, but
hope you may soon return"
"Will you answer me q question or
two?" asked Helen, now almost calm
again.
Eyes"
"What will be done with meP"
al will take you to Newton"
"What thenP"
"You will be taken before the magis-
trate, Squire Buffers"
/ oil hot g
law and its processes"
"Well, you will be arraigned and your
case set for trial. Ifyou can give bond
you can return here or go wherever
you please; but if you fail''-thcn the
sheriff failed, he found it almost i'm
possible to inform that poor, proud
spirited girl Of the result of a failure.
But she was determined to know the
worst.
What if fail?" she asked.
Committed, was the answer.
'Do you mean sent to jail?"
The sheriff nodded.
The prospect of entering Jail for
one moment is horrible. TO forever
blight the fair name of which she was
so proud; that name which neither her
parents or any of her ancestors had al
lowed blot upon, and now to blacken
it as criminal. We can scarcely I'M
derstand the feelings of Helen at that
moment. She imagined herself in
after years, even if she was proved in.
nocent, blackened, blighted creature,
summed by all and pointed to as a
thief.
Notwithstanding all this, Helen was
gloriously conscious of her own inno-
cence. She had done no wrong, and
the certainty of bad consequences to
her little brother, should their parting
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