St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-22
NOT n THIEF.

Vindication of the Vagabond
Game After the Tragedy.
Demorest's Family Magazine.
I He was not bad looking man, the
prisoner at the bar.
! Dissipation had left its mark, but
( there was something about the face that
made you think that back i'll his young
manhood were other and happier days.
He was not raised thief. this man ac-
cused of stealing diamond ring.
/ The court officials noticed the clear
. cut features which might once have
been handsome. the matted hair which
once curled in beautiful ringiets, and
said:
1.-THE fellow is changed; prison life
has done him good. When we got him
he was the ugliest-looking fellow in
Jail; but since he has got the prison
paI!or he looks as If he might be an i'm
itation of gentleman"
Six months of enforced sObriety and
good habits had certainly made great
change. Perhaps the jury noticed it,
too. The ring was valuable one, an d
| yet the sentence was fer only year.
''Prisoner, stand up!" said the judge
when the foreman had handed III the
verdict. "Have you anything to say
why the zen ,ence of the court should
not be prUuudHced upon youP"
The prisoner slowly arose, and in de-
liberate terms replied:
Your honor, | have something TO
say, aud will not tire you with my
speech, think. l have been a worth
| less, drunken vagabond. your honor,
| but l am no thief. The ring which was
| found in my pocket belonged TO my
| mother, dead ard in heaven years ago.
| Ii is better so. l wonder, your honor,
| if the angels know of the shame and
| disgrace of those they loved on earth.
''fhe lady identified the ring, but l
believe that she was honestly mistaken
| the rings are probably similar. stand
| before you tniay, your honor, the
| wreck OF what once was il man; urchins
OH the street jeer at me and laugh at
! nv rags. | have been homeless and
hungry, your honor, and would barter
my soul for glass of something warm
to start the cold blood once more cours-
p. ing through my veins. But l am not a
thief.
Il would not harm Gods weakest
! creature. AS boy | gathered the
manned and wounded animals from the
! street into the Kitchen, and fed them as
no man yet ever fed and cared for me.
was happy boy. My father was
wealthy and distinguished, my home
! luxurious. l went to college and grad
uated with honor. and SOON afterward,
on the death of my father, l sue
ceeded him in the practice of law.
NV mother died, and the property
was mine. l was rich man. Then
! came months of dissipation. My CON-
i anions were, like myself, possessed OF
] ample fortunes. Our revels were the
4 talk of the city, and we were proud oil
! the fact. We had none but the choicest
wines, and | was glad when l could
+ drink more than the others could stand
81 thought it was mark of manhood
| your honor.
] "lt is the same old story. will make
it short. | became a common drunkard
I my property was gone, everything bul
/ the ring; l could not part with that. II
4 was the only link which bound me TO 4
J happy past, the only tie between me
I and the mother who bore me, who cared
for me, who loved NE. Many g
i night when l was cold and hun
\. CRY | have taken it out be
I meath the glistening stars and
its sparkles were as ii my mothers eyes
were looking at ne with the brightness
A Which once was theirs. 1t was only 9
fancy, your honor. but il was very deal
to me. ] was arrested while drunk one
night, aud the ring was taken from ne
Then the lady thought she recognized il
as one she had lost. But she is wrong
your honor. The ring is mimel | am
drunkard and vagabond, but a thief
neverp
As he stopped speaking he drew {
small paper package from his pocket
Where he got it no one knew; ana be
fore his hand could be arrested he hat
swallowed the contents. The LAWYER,
jumped TO their feet and seized thu
prisoner; doctor was sent for, but be
fore medical assistance could lie OBJ
tanned the prisoner was beyond tn
reach of human skill.
Mother. l am not thief, was OIL.
drunk" he mhttered.
The door oprned. and a woman en-
tered in great excitement.
/ Judge, judge, s,op the trial. l hav
found my ring. He didn't steal il. l wa
nistakrn."
Tuo iae! The soul had t.tHe!, its an
peal 10 II higher than all human courts