The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-15


! To summon the chief luso cor, to lie
( come the center Of a suspicious, critical
/ rag Of passengers, 70 explain that sic mad
/ accepted The care Of a bag containing as
/ the momcntary glance had assured, ssiN er
I goods OF value that had evidently b en- St l.
en-, this was really more than she could
/ bear Mr.. Nottingham would be here,
! too, in a few minutes. for IL was near 70
/ half-past 7. Mr.. Nottingham, who was a
Iserious-minded stockholders Of Copthal
! Court, neither young nor middle aged, but
| betWixt the two. who had wood Miss
/ Parely with great respect for years, and
/ had, for hobby. the restraint Of crime and
general view of life that was in tune IN
/ that Of Miss Farley. Mr. Morlngha m
was no man for sucn an emergency as this;
| he would only reprove her gently for hav-
ing ten such grave responsibilities. A
| disclosure meant police court proceedings,
Old Bailey attendances-
go Ere we are ladyi'
Going to take a ticket for it?" asked
the man on the other SIDE Of the counter.
'Tn leave it," she said determine diy,
bin my name and the number, ten sixty
six"
''Blt Iumpy, miss" said the cioakroom
man.
1T hast has something heavy inside"
she stammered
"Ah," remarked the cloakroom man. as
he affixed a label, "tnat accounts for II.
Mr. Nottingham brought news that the
night was fine that the han was but the
distance Of three minutes walk, that
things were looking ominous In the East
that the only way to keep the peace was
to be prepared for war Having reeled
off these statements with indiscreet haste,
and thus exhausted his evenings stock,
Nottingham appeared to find himset on
arrival at the hall, 80 TO speak, beached,
and unable to move in conversation un-
I'll the tide returned with some similar re-
marks. They found seats on the crowded
platform, neither in the mood for talk.
Miss Farley checked a sigh now and again
as she looked a the strange men ana
women who filled the body OF the nan.
They were mainly criminals or, at any
rate, affected to be so for the purpose OF
this meeting, and Miss Farley felt that,
strictly speaking, her place was among
them. Mr. Nottingham, content to be
near the lady of his heart, content also
TO see in his hat the notes of a speech
which he felt contained some thoughts
that came near, in his opinion, to being
epigrams, sat with folded arms and did
not observe Miss Parley's preoccupation
of thought,
Excuse me-" she said. presently. The
chairman and the principal speaker,
judge, were coming on to the platform;
the hall rose to its feet and cheered as
though the dearest wish of its life was at
length being gratifed. Il wish to speak
to the police inspector"
can / take message, Jane?" asked
Mr.. Nottingham.
No" said Miss Farley, with brusque-
ness. please stay where you are"
The inspector, seeing Miss Parleys at
ttude of appeal, met her half way on
the platform. The hail, amused at this,
and having finished its applause, called
on the Inspector to look her up. She was
a well-known character shouted the han
humorousy and perfect terror in the
lane. Take her off TO Bow, begged the
hall, and If she became violent. why give
her the good old frogs march,"
II wish to ask you said Miss Farley,
in a low voice, unconscious of the badi-
mage, what is the sentence usually given
for-for--"
MURDER" prompted the Inspector.
NO, no. For whatd you call it?'
"Oh," said the Inspector you mean
shopliftng, madam"
Il mean nothing Of the kind" she re-
piled with asperity. Il mean receiving
goods
"Well, knowing the same to be stolen"
said the Inspector, glibly He passed his
hand over his chin. Let me see now,
madam, what shall we say for the aver
age? What do you say to three years?"
Miss Farley went blindly back TO her
seat as the chairman rose to introduce
the judge TO the meeting, a proceeding
that was in some part superhuous. Three
years. one, two, three; she had never
before thought of three as a large num-
Der. There seemed a way out of the difn-
Guilty and this was fortunate; but it made
one tremble to think that one should be
ever within sight of a fate so terrible.
The obvious exit was never to allude to
the incident to any one That dreadful
man would send for it; the bag would
thus disappear; no one need know the
l. eJ,1 tn t,, pfnfv. Tna
old judge was getting on with his speech,
with an occasional joke of moderate
strength that made the hall roar with
ecstatic appreciation, and Miss Farley
nerved herself to put aside the terrifying
thoughts that oppressed her, with partial
success, partial failure. A deplorable old
bag sat in the front row below interrupt
ing the proceedings now and again by
demanding cheers for herself the pleasing
thought occurred to Miss Farley that she
might never lead a sedate, comfortable
later life, but that she might finish in the
type of the dreadful woman who was just
then shouting, "Hooray fer Patsy Me
Guirey Pursuing this cheerful vein. Miss
Farley succeeded, as the old judge re-
sumed his seat fearful at his own affect
ing peroration. in accepting with fair equa-
nimity sentence of penal servitude for
life.
Would any one in the audience" asked
rience? l can spare five minutes before
calling upon Mr. Nottingham"
Nobody rose at first, but when the de-
plorable old woman i'm the front row stood
up, then dozen others started 90 COM
pete for the honor. The Old woman, CALI
ed upon by the chair, said that she was
as good as any other lady in Sardinia
street and that if anybody dared to say
word against her public or her private
character she would-Nevertheles Mrs
Mcguire confessed with tearfulness but
withal something of pride 10 a life of
wrong doing that Included crime from bird
taking 10 highway robbery. 1t was all
the fault of the first step, said the old
lady; the first step was fata. Becoming
interested, she declined 90 regard the
chairman's call to order, and had event.
ually to be removed from the hall. Nor
bingham in his speech took advantage of
this and spoke severely of mistaken toler-
ance Wrong-doers said Mr. Morning
ham, wrong-doers must be Stunned Any
one participating in crime should not be
| recognized by decent folk. Wrong doors