Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-04-11
! ANNE BEDE's DEBT. ;
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
From the Hungarian Of Nikssrath.

The Judges were in their places
Outside the fog weighed heavily up
IN the shapeless building, eifaced tho
walls, and glued itself to the win.
lows, concealing their frosty flower.
Ing.
In the hall itself the cir was thick
and sitting. 1t smelled Of sheep.
skins, peanuts, eau-de-vie. and the
leaden ventilators In the upper glasses
Of the skylight turned slowly and
slothfully.
The Jurors, too, leaned YEARLY
against the backs Of their chairs. Ono
Of them had closed his eyes and let
bis hand fall inert, lulled to ssmno-
lence by the monotonous scratching
Of the clerks pen. Another tapped
and softly beat the rat-a-plan with his
pencil on the table.
The President pushed his spectacles
10 the tip Of his nose and mopped bio
damp brow, his stern gray eyes, with
. glacial stare, bent flxedly upon tho
door whence would issue the culpriu
In course of trial, and on whom they
waited to pronounce sentence.
rs there not still another one" de-
manded he, presently, Of the sleepy
looking tipstaff at his elbow, IN .
harsh voice.
"one," responded the other. =
girl"
Eth bien! bring her In, then" said
the president
The crier called, the door opened,
the girl entered.
A current Of fresh air glided In with
her and softly famed the faces and
tickled the lashes Of the curious as
sistants. At the same moment . ray
Of sunlight pierced the shrouding fog
and danced between the frosty etch-
ings Of the panes across the dusty
walls and furniture Of the Hall OF
Audience.
"A girp' had said the tipstaf-a
child, rather, scarcely more than on
the verge Of maidenhoOd, and 30 pref
| ty In her little furred Jacket, embroid-
cred with wreaths and blossoms and
fitting like the skin the rounded
waist, straight and slender as the
stem Of a young palm. Her black
eyes were lowered to the floor. but
her white brow was clear and I'M
clouded.
what is 1t that you have done, my
child" questioned the President IN
differently.
The girl nervously rearranged her
handkerchief that covered her head,
caught her breath heavily, then an
swered, signing:
my affair Ia sad, Mons. President;
very, very sad"
Her voice, soft and dolorous, went
| to the heart like good music, that,
even when one hears 1t no longer,
seems still to vibrate in the air and
change everything by Its mysterious
influence.
] The faces Of the jurors were no
longer so morose. The portrait OF the
King, and farther away still Of the
Judex Curie, appeared to make to her
| from the silent wall benignant signs,
encouraging her to bravely recount
the affair 80 very. very sad"
"But see you," said she, this writ
Ing; 1t will tell you better than can"
Only she had first to seek It; to un-
clasp the button Of her corsage and
draw 1t from her bosom--a piece OF
cracking parchment, stamped and
closed with the ponderous Official
seal.
"A Judgment" murmered the Presl-
dent, running his eyes over the paper;
"a judgment against Anne Bede, as
signed to begin today punishment OF
six months Imprisonment"
The girl nodded sorrowfully the
handkerchief, loosened by the move
ment, fell from her hand, and heavy
tress of her long black hair, all un-
bound, yelled her features. 1t sought,
perhaps, to shield them from the gaze
Of the people, for II she was white as
q lily while ago, she was purple with
shame at this moment
at Is a week since we received IT,"
stammered she in broken voice.
1.-THE court officer brought 1t himself
and explained what 1t wished to tell
us, and my poor mother said to me:
Thou must go, my child; the law is
the law. and one should not take 1t as
pleasantly have come, therefore,
TOTO begin the six months"
The President wiped his glasses,
then wiped again, his cold, stern gaze
seeking the faces Of his colleagues,
the windows, the floor, the great iron
stove, through whose grated door fiery
eyes seemed to sparkle and threaten
lngly reagrd him.
1.-THE law" murmered he; "the law
Is the law!"
And he read anew the summary be-
fore him, the black, sprawling
scratches across the whole page, de-
claring ANNE Bede condemned to six
months Imprisonment for the receiv-
Ing Of stolen goods"
Meanwhile the leaden ventllator
had quickened Its pace and spun fur
lously. Outside the wind had risen,
and now 1t shook the windows, whis-
tied through the crevlces, and seemed
to hiss remorselessly about the ears Of
the gaping crowd: -
1.-THE law; yes, the law is the law"
The head OF the President bent az
drmatively before this importunate
voice; he dropped his eyes and touch
ed the bell for the tipstaff.
| Accompany Anne Bede," said he,
ITO the house OF the inspector OF
prisons