The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1897-05-06

fomAutlc deVlAitena IRON we Ha" 'fA
the lips Of imsgipsii,s witnesses, 'e'
ir.skoess WAS ls sil times del'shual '
BIN.
4 Coas, be said wi ia Qaiei laugh. That
honest 1t Issst We'll, shy DO yon si'
f the N to me II you don't wsni to'
/ III give them 10 yoa sDa Tommy too
the words we're accompanied by YER
wstiuI glance u the iat puppy Ill
yoa'il ist paps cat u prison.
A silence. such .. prtceass some asiu
eoavul.ioa OF ostats, perrsded the room
4 for several seconds after this sudaeion
proposal Eveu Tommy, as though COS
erBg before the outraged mhiss,y OF ,h'
las, buried bis head between the Judge
cost snd yest sud lay mohonless creep
for a pfopitls'oty was Of his tail.
What is your pane. ehildH sked th'
Judge stiml'.
Dorothy Maxwell. hlteied the littl'
girl, umidly, swed by the sudden silence
and the perhaps uueonseiously stern ei
pressicp 90 his lordsbip's face. :
Dorothy Maxwell, sail the Judge, q
verely, as sihough the little figure before
hin we're standing 10 the prisoners dock
awaiting sentence, you have been CONVICT
cd VI The G lose OF ths nlpeteenth century
Of the almost unparalleled crime oi
attempting TO corrupt one OF Her MsIesty's
Judges, to persuade lin by means Of
bribery. to defeat tle ends OF justice
shall not further enlarge unou the enormi
ty OF your crime. Have you snything to
say why sentence should not be No, no,
don't cry. Poor little thing, ! didn't
mean to frighten you. I'm not the
least bit angry with you really snd truly
Come aud sit ou my knee and show me all
these pretty things. Get down you little
beast.
The last words were addressed to Tom
my, who fell With flop on the floor aud
was repIsced 90 the judges knee by bis
little mistress.
This is worry like condoninlng crimi
nal offence, thought the Judge to himself
with q grim smile, ss be wiped the tosrs
from the poor creatures face and tried to
interest her 10 the content Of the brown
paper parcel. But the thoughts that the
tears bad aroused did not vanish With
them. Arthur Maxwell was no longer 3
kind OF im personal representative OF the
criminal classes. to be dealt with ss
severely as the law allowed 10 the inter
ests OF society in general, He was the
father OF this soft plump, rosy checked,
blue eyed, golden hsired little maid. who
woul inevitably have to share, now or 10
the future, her fathers humiliation and
disgrace. For the first time, perhaps, the
Judge ielt pang OF pity for the Wretched
man who Of that moment WAS probably
pacing his cell in sgoDiEing apprehension
OF the inevitable verdict. A vivid picture
started up before him OF the prisoners
white iscs, twitching lips and tragic eyes.
He remem bered his own emotion when he
first sentenced fellow creature TO penal
servituds. He had grown osllous since
tbenp Did he take sufficiently into
account the frailty OF bumsn nature. the
brevity of lie, the fs- reaching conse
ouences that the fate OF the most insigniti
cant unit OF humanity must entsllP
At this moment the door opened md his
wife, q slender, graceful woman, consider
ably younger than himself, with refined.
delicate face, came quietly in.
All, exclaimed the iudge, with asudden
inspiration, believe you are at the bot
tom OF all this, Agnes. What is this child
doing here2
You are not ve1ed, Matthew she ssked.
half tmidly.
Hardly that, be answered, slowly; but
what good can it do2 II is impossible to
explain the situation to this poor little
mite. II was cruel to let her come on
such sn errand. How did shs get hers'
1t was her own idea entirely her Own
idea; but her mother brought her aud
asked to see me. The poor woman was
nearly frantic With grief and
des air and ready to clutch at any straw
She was 30 dreadfully miserable, poor
thing, AID thought it was such 9 pretty
idea, IL couldn't refuse her. Matthew.
But, my dear, expostu the uiRe,
you must have known that it could do no
gool,
IL knew what the verdi,t would be,
answered his wife. read report OF the
trial 10 40 evening paper. Bat. then,
there vas a sentence. you know -snd-
aud ! thought the chill might soften you
a li,tle. NJ tthew.
The judges hand strsyesd mechspicsl
~ among the toys and to interest the
child he began to examine nae OF the
most vivid OF her pictorial efforts.
You think ] am very bard and utjust
Agues7 he 9 ked.
No, no. no, she answered hurriedly
not uu just, never uri ast. There is net =
more impartial ludge on the bench The
whole world says IT, Bot don'tyou tbnK +,
dear. that justice without without mercy
is slwsyss little hard Dob't. don't be
angry, Matthew, | never spoke TO you
Ike this before wouidn't now but for
ie woman In th next Dom aud The lnno
osDt little thing Il your knee.
The judss msde DO reply. He bent
still more closely ov,r the scarlet animal
.triyius amid emerald helds, aud burnt
un Der trees OF siugul.rly ohsiosl shape +.
That's Gov. said Dorothy, proudly.