The evening times., 1896-10-12

| pale for her 1ooseness.
Your HONOR" said the sergeant, dressed
| Ia Il smart suit OF citizens clothes, II heard
| this woman screaming four blocks away.
When l reached the house she was lying On
| her back in the hail. The walls were COW
ered with kerosene aud a portiere in the
| hal! was soaked in oil. This woman" said
Kenney, gesticuiating at the covering
| creature, who sat next to her lawyer. ThOm
as l. Jones, was about to set the house on
| fire.
Kenny went on to relate her disorderiy
conduct when Jones quietly remarked she
| was charged in the information with vag-
| raDcy. That was cue for the judge and
! he began to dig in her life, past and present.
what sort of a woman Is she, sergeant"
asked the judge.
Kenny's deep voice rolled sonorously as
| he said. "A vicious woman, Judge, a very
| vicious woman, and when drunk "a danger
| GUS womaD."
Then the story OF the four little pick
| auinnies with tlct on their 'scutcheons
| darker than their faces was told and a
| gloomy frowD settled on the judges fore
head rs he gIarced at Ida, who began to
| sob.
He WAS FULL OF GRIEF.
Charles Gaines, tall stoop- shouldered
yellow man. bald-headed. verbose and on
| the verge of tears, judging from the stifIed
way in which he spoke, said: ''Jedge, to
| you, my amer, it is sad day TO me To
be in dis cote; it cuts me deep to de heart
ter pear ginst dat chile
Ida is Il very healthy young woman OF
thirty, and she smiled through her tears at
the words OF her step father.
An den aein, jedge, to my Onncr,
cuntin Jed the broken-hearted Gaines, who
was consuming valuable time in talking
about nothing in particular, and had yet to
give any evidence germane to the case; but
the judge seemed pleased with his oraiory.
den agin / sez, dis chile emplys lyyer
ter fit rue an dat chile's duwn-in- dc-rnouf
po' nudder'
Never mind the law yer" said the judge.
with a smile. I'm take care of them"
At this John Moss ran out to avoid the
courts guardiapship, and Gaines conde-
scended TO tell OF his step-daughter's mis-
doings-
she was full OF beer said the melan-
| choly witness, and gin also, and she bites
| her po' ole father wos loves de chile on de
arm an dat's de bubble, blessed Gawd's
| truf. jedge, to my onner an Mister Jones
| inclnsIve.''
Gaines said after Ida's cannibalistic
frenzy she ran down stairs and threw a
| lamp at him.
what is her character?'' questioned the
judge
Very bad said Gaines, wipiDg his eyes
and displa wing signs OF apoplexy from grief
1T is none OBJ de best aud mos OBJ de
wust. She has 70 chillun an de marriage
liz yet ter cum off,
Now the defendant said the judge.
sharply DO you wish TO put her on the
stand. Mr. Jones?''
II don't thiuk, your honor, the charge
of vagrancy is made out, said tue lawyer
"Une act does not make her a vagrant."
The Judge cleared his throat several
times, to give emphasis as he answered.
II have held, and Will continue 10 hold
until I am convinced | am mistaken and
lin, Judge looked as If the time would
never come, that previous bad reputation
sG:aII always have weight, al in This case
Tie Judge reclined in his chair, while
Ida triumplantly mounted the stand.
She said her stepfather kicked her and
knocked her down stairs, and il was then
she threw the lamp at him.
y W As
81 don't believe you," said the Judge.
harshly Your stepfathcr seems to be
a respectable man, extremely respectabl bic,
and 1 believe his statement that you were
drunk
Il was not,' faltered tue woman.
You have four children, and are not mar
ried," pursued the judge. Its an out
rage Women who do that sort of thing
oguht to be locked up and kept away from
a decent community
AT these words several colored women
in the audience shivered, and one of them
left the room almost on run.
"You women bring children into the
world" added Judge Kimban, land they
lead the same life"
Ida placed her toll worn thin hands before
her face aud appealed to the judge for
mercy
Please let me GO" she implored; 4
works hard. deed does, an now my home
is full of washin' an ironin'.'
The more she said the more she seemed to
displease the Judge He said cuttingiy: Il
don't care anything about your washing and
ironing; that don't trouble me; it's you I'm
talking about-you."
Il tries hard to keep my po' little
chillen,' she said, shrinking under tn"
courts castgation like hound under
the lash.
You hal no business having them,'' said
the judge.
Then the woman gathered herself to-
gether, the mothers heartgave her strength
to do battle against the judges On the
bench.
Now that have them," aud she spoke
almost with dignity, I'm goin' to take
care of them"
A little hum passed over the courtroom,
and Prosecutor Pugh's face cloudssi as he
turned away from the woman. Breaking
down again, she sobSed, AN amt seen
de chillun seuce Sat'dy night"
THE CASE DISMISSED.
The court reflected and said, What does
the district attorney want to do?'
There is no charge of vagrancy made
OUT said Mr.. Pugh.
ut should have been disorderly conduct
observed the court.
II wanted to issue the information on
that ground" explained Mr.. Pugh, but
Kenny insisted on vagrancy"
Your HONOR said Kenny, pitying the
woman. Il think she may behave herself If
YOU let her go. We have nothing personal
against her"
..wnI you do that il I let you go:'' asked
Judge kimball.
Il always have" said Ida, until Sat
urtiay night, and wasn't drunk then"
"Stop that" cried the court. "You were.
Don't tell me anything like that. l won't
listen to 1t. Is the woman's mother in
couft?"
"Heah iz,'' said portly, old-fashioned