The morning call., 1892-10-01
MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

q
lin drooped sligntly-and that was all.
Rut from a shabby woman in the croW0
there rose HID such a shrlil wall Of agony as
nierced It's way from the very roof.
ssNo. no. your nonoTi surely you wouldnt
,,e 50 hard on a poor widow woman as that.
and ne the only son I've left IN the wor'aI
He never did it, your worship-lt was onS
them rascally fellows he was Tltn oule'S'
surely your Worship
"Be still. womanw said an ofheer authol-
itatiyely. "Wnat do you mean oy raising
such an outcry as this in courtF
Astbe Judge stood with one foot on the
stem Of his handsome little coupe tan
feure rose up almost from underneath Tue
borses' feet with an uplitted mehaelns
finger. -
"You'ye shown no mercy to me, Judge
Fmerson-may be the times comln that
heayep's face will be turned away from
you. PH never cease calling down curses
on you. day nor nightF IT,,
"The lower classes have such propenSHy
tor n,olirg scenes on the slightest pro-
vncafion thought the Judge, leaning
snnpIy back among the crimson eushlons.
A hard. stern man, Judge Emerson Hao
never learned the lesson of tenn erlng JUS
tice with mercy An eye Ioi an mi not
tooth for g tooth" was his code, ana not
even the shadow of at1lctIon ln MS own
home had bent the nature that was liAe cast
iron. ,. u,;,,,,,or
Ing brightly over the crusIeu SuIaa1o an tireIy
snow that had not yet been cleared ehtIIeiy
away, and the bitter wind swept IAeee.a53 Aee1.53
across Judge EmersOn's face as ne aIRnt@e @
In front of the broWnst0ne mansion Whete
the light shone Ike red stars trFO9en iDdews s"'
'Ritterly cold" said the Judge 10 MIN
sslf sbivering even through folds OF broad
cloth aud sable fur The thermometer
can't be far from zeTo-peIhapSs, oelo"'
Well. it's very seasonable weather!
he stopped short, for close to the broad
Aight of stone steps covered TWO tny
forms, ragged and plnched ana IoTl0Ih,
over which he had very nearly iaIleh-a DOy
of years old and glfi perhaps So"'
"What are YOU doing here. you little yaga-
boudsP" sternly demanded the judge coH-
tracing his magsierlal oToW; -, -.
hPlease, sir" faltered the boy, as wen as
he could speak for shiyering muscles anu
ehatterIDg teeth,-tAe seAf""''
drove YOU away9" repeated the Judge,
with austerity u should think they would! !!
Bow dare you come here begging? DO you
know that Pve the greatest mind in the
world TO call policeman and nave you ooth
sent TO the statiOn-houseY
''Sir, if you please
But l don't pleasel stormed the lrate
s}U !
word of your steUeotyped story-I just want
vou to understand that l am not the person
10 practice your art upon. Begone.
Tie little girl, clinging tightly TO her
brothers arm, broke into a terrihed cry
Ito boy suleniy casting down lis eyes,
cTept away ike some repulsed animal,
Once he paused and looked back with wild.
hungry eyes, as If yet cheTishlng some grain
OF hope.
n on
door to be opened.
Had be forgotten the old Scripture words,
"Inasmuch as ye have done It unto one OF
the least Of these, ye have done 1t unto
meP"
So Judge Emerson crossed the echoing
marble vestbnle and entered the handsome
room with its ceiling of pointed stucco and
its crimson velvet walls, where his invalid d
vile sat among her cushions, idly lingering
the fringe Of her rich silk dress.
How are you feeling tonight, Helen"
In the depth of Judge Emerson's adaman-
tine heart there were Just two soft spots
ore FOR his sick wife, the other for a son,
whom, long ago, his own severity had
driven from the hearthstone of home. And
az he spoke he bent teDderly over the
white, weary face.
."A6out as usual." 3" she answered. "Have-
have you 10 news t0-night@
None"
She turned her face away with sort OF
sobbng sigh.
at is this suspense that Is killing me,
John. II l only knew where he is-if l
sOGid only be sure that be would one day
come back to meP'
'My dear, Try to compose yourself" said
the more practical Judge. II tell you that
the machinery l have Set in action cannot
fail sooner or later TO discover bis where
abOuts It's mere question OF time.
"Time-,lme," sighed the invalid. "a nd
have so little time leftl Oh, my b0y-my
.0n"
Judge Emerson sat down. biting his lips
and contracting his brOws moodily. Fol
years the dearest object of his heart-thato OF
bringing this lost son back TO his home-had
been frustrated; now he had just begun tC
cherish faint hope.
"HeleD," he said, "Charles was my sor
also. loved him as dearly as you can do
Only have patience, my dear, all will b
right"
And this was the skeleton whose bony
ghastliness looked out from the luxurianct
of Judge EmersOn's brOwnstone mansion.
Meanwhile the two little children, clin &
ing closely to one another for warmth.
were sitting in the angle of a brick arch
way, where the moonlight stTeamed In
white and freezing on nttIo l9 R19Ga'seF De- ca night
..ccents, what did the cross man say to
you?"
''He told US to go away or he would put
US IN prison." said the boy, answering in heI
own tongue. Francesca, are you very
cold2"
"0h. yes; very. Cannot we go home
Guido?''
''Nop He shook his head resolutely
he woman said she would kill US if we
came back without money-and nobody
would give me money. Here's my coat.
Francesca; it's thin and ragged. but"
lie tied the sleeves around his little sis
tePs throat as he paused.
Are you warm Dow?"
"No-but come close to me- Guido"
The two child-faces, white and pinched,
turned upward to the starry coneaye of
heayen-what study they would have been
10 the Wiseacres that believe that what
ever Is. is right"
Guido, do you see that great bright
star, like an eye Of godP Is it in heaven ?"
Il suppose So" said Guido, thoughtfully.
do you believe 1t is warm in heaven,
Guido?"
THE priest saws it is always summer
there, Francesca"
''Oh. wish we were therel 1 am SC
cold-so coldl"
Don't cry. Francesca-the tears are turn
Ing to ice on D. your cheek Come closer,
closer still. We can go to sleep, and per.
haDs it will be warmer when we wake up
And so, sweeter than the breath of otos
Islands, more soothing than the ripple oi
golden waters over drowsy sands, the fata
sleep came down upon the two little ones
close c!esped in each others arms in The icy
moonlight OF the bitter December night
while the golden eye of little francesca
great bright star" watched them with tire
less light-one Of heavens sentinels.
al think Eve found the clew at last
Judge"
The shrewd-looking detective pulled hi.
fer collar over his crimson ears with JERK
as Judge Emerson walked by his side
through the foul, narrow turning of an OBJ.
scure downtown street.
Mind, l don't hold ont any hopes fol
certain only say l think we're on the
right scent at last"
'How did you discover it?"
Wei, 1t was Ia one of those emlgrant
boarding. .houses-this is the very place"
The officer walked upstairs and tbroueh
the dark entry. with fha air of q -. - ~ =