The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-10-18


sary that she should be held in custody
for both charges-that Of the crime with
which she was charged and the addi-
tional one of conniving with and aiding
in the escape of an arrested forcat. cat
the same time" said the magistrate, "on
account of the prisoners extreme youth
and owing to the urgency of her condi-
ton, and further relying on the fact that
she may have on her trial some explana-
ton to give which may mitigate in the
eyes of the court her moral Delinquency
in the matter, am willing that every
kind of personal consideration should be
shown to her consistent with her safe GUS
tody."
The hint Of the magistrate was not
lost on the sergeant or his kind hearted
wife, and when she returned with them
to the gendarmerie they shared with her
whatever comforts they themselves pos
sessed. But though she had some measure
of comfort her state of mind was pitiable
in the extreme. At one fell blow she had
lost all that earth had to give her-hus-
band-for was not the discovery of his
true character worse than death?-father
mother, home, friends, honest name, all
that makes the happiness Of life. Nay,
was she not even at the moment a pris-
oner On criminal charge? A prisoner,
so that her child must be born in prison
and be stained for all it's life with the
prison faint!
The idea appalled, her, and in the great
anguish of her soul q wild idea came to
her. She would run away if she could
from the prison. She had every oppor-
tunity, for the room she occupied was
not even locked, since 10 one thought it
possible that she could even make an at
tempt to escape. She wo;ild seek a shell
ter neutrality-suspicious. her trou-
BILE. She might die, starve or perish
from the cold, but death had no terrors
for her. All she hoped was that her
child would not be born in the prison.
She felt that if she could once get out
into the free air, no matter where, Der
little one might escape the prison faint
that it might not be cursed with the sins
of it's father or with her own unhappi-
ness.
While the thought Yves upon her she
rose up and stole to the door It was
night. Not sound was to be heard
save the gentle rustling Of the trees. She
was mountain bred girl. and the sound
this voice Of nature to which she was
accustomed coming through the still
ness-brought an unutterable relief to
her soul. A sense of freedom came to
her through all the pains that racked her.
She passed into the night and fed on
her way with one blind hope ever before
her-that her child should not bear the
prison faint.
AS the morning was breaking she found
herself close to little wayside shrine.
Her strength was going fast, but the
sight gave her renewed energy. AS she
looked through the grating that guarded
it in front she saw the figure Of the di-
vine mother, and her heart gave gla
throb as she sank to her knees in tllo
dust and bowed her weary head N:ltlr
she prayed. She felt no fear now. with
that divine image Of motherhood and
suffering before her she felt that her
prayer was heard. AMI that her Child
would be free from the curse Of its IA
therhood. There alone, save for what
she felt to be the presence Of the Mother
of Sorrows, =" o. ,lred ell the plny3 of
her materr