The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-06-01
"Well, they were rather necessary.
I.I .I.,,l1 .I,;,,L- 90 ~ osoa,,l,.ol Mr.

30 they were taken from tne house
persisted the magistrate.
''Yes, sir.
SIN your arms p
''No, indeedr'
''The ideal exclaimed Mrs. Pasker.
lie had carriage, " explained Pasker.
An aristocralic thief 7 commented the
magistrate. And quibbier! He didn' t
take them away, but they went with him
in a carriage y He turned back to Pasker
II think this charge had better be changed
from larceny to burglary, and I'll hold him
to the grand jury
''Oh, no, your honorl'' cried Pasker,
alarmed at the prospect of a grand jury in
vestigation, ''It wasn't burglary; he
didn't break into the house.
"How did he Get in?'
'.The-the maid let him in
"Collusion! said the magistrate. "Why
didn't you have the maid arrested, too p
"She' not to blame, said the ratified
Pasker.
''If he entered under false pretenees-'
''Oh, NOT interrupted Mrs. Pasker,
now also much worried He was quite
honest
"Honestr repeated the amazed magis
trate
''Well, he told her what he wanted, "
Now, see herer exclaimed the indig-
nant magistrate; II have had enough oil
this concealment, and | intend to get at the
basis Of this affair right here and now.
The underlying truth must be uncovered.
Impossible r was Mrs. Pasker' 5
thoughtleSs exclamation, while Pasker
idgeted nervously.
There is a mystery of some sort back
of this, the magistrate went on.
"Oh, no; not mystery, interposed
PasSer, anxiously.
so far, the magistrate persisted, ''the
prisoner would seem to have been stealing
for wife or sweetheart This seemed
to impress him As happy thought, and he
turned to Bennett "Are you married 2
he asked
NO, sir, y was the reply.
Got sweetheart p
Yves, sir. -
"Ahl | begin to understand, remarked
the magistrate, secretly grati6ed by this
evidence of his own aeamen. "She has
luxurious tastes, | presume.
IL think not, sir. She likes nice
thiugs--
.,Of course, interrupted the magis-
trate, complaeently. And these were for
her ?
Yes, sir. Il occurred to Bennett
tha, the magistrate might look upon this
as an exieuuating circumstance. And 1t
vas true.
Trying to supply her with trousseau,
were you p
Yes, sir
The magistrate smiled good-humoredly.
It was pleasing to him TO find that be was
50 perspicacious.
II trust you didn overlook anything,
he said. 'Girls are great on ribbons.
Did you have any in your plunder 2
Il believe SO.
Believe sol Don't YOU know
well. there were hair ribbons.
You are certainly thoughtful lover,
laughed the magistrate. How about
hosiery 2
II don know.
Don know Don't you know what
you took !?
"Not-not everything Bennett was
flushed and uncomfortable, Pasker could
not hide his nervousness aud Ms. Pasker
was trying to think of some way to divert
the examination to other channels.
".Didn't stop to make an inventory,
suggested the magistrate.
No, sir
There was hoSiery--silk hosiery, de-
elared Mrs. Pasker, feeling that somehow
any doubt in this matter would be rehec-
tion upon her.
.Of course, added Pasker, ''and
everything else that.
Mrs. Pasker nudged him so hard that
he said '.Ouchl' aud then stopped short.
We'll. said the magistrate, thought
fully. now that / understand the case, II
isn't necessary to 20 SO deeply into the
matter of individual items. ! presume the
total value Of what was taken would amount
to several hundred dollars.
"A millionr asserted Mrs. Pasker, whC
naturally put mothers valuation upon
her daughter.
What cried the magistrate.
Your honor" Pasker hastily explained
she is thinking of the value to US.
s'Ah. YES, remarked the magistrate
an heirloom among the things taken.
.Well-er-a family treasure, YOU
honor.
Been in the family long?'
"A little over seventeen years.
Seventeen yearsl' exclaimed the mag
istrate, disgustedly. That's not long,
Wait until it gets to be thousand year'
old. Then. as another thought occurred
% him, "But perhaps it has antiquity,
and you got it from some-
Never has been out of our family,
Pasker quickly interrupted.
well, you have a queer idea of what
makes value in such matters, said the
magistrate. leaning back in his chair wear
ily. But that has nothing to do with
the case. understand it now, but an
rather sorry for the young man. The fact
that love led him to steal is no extenuatior
of the crime, but | do think a response
bility rests upon the girl that should be
| brought home to her. The modern woman
is too eovetous. She wants beautiful and
costly things, and she makes man under
stand that he must supply them. The
girl may not have conspired with the pris
oner to get these things-she may not have
known how he was going to get them-but
her unreasoning covetousness doubtless lie:
at the back of it all would like to have
her here, to sec
"Oh, no, your honorP
"Impossible!
Pasker and Mrs Pasker both spoke at
once, and, before the magistrate could re-
cover from his astonishment, a girl entered
and rushed excitedly to the side of the
prisoner.
"Madeliner' cried Pasker.
Glow did you get out?' demanded Mrs.
Pasker.
Through the window, answered the
girl, defiantly. "What are you trying tC