The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
MILDRED WASHINGTON WILKINS

I wanted to go, but he said for me
to stay where L was. I sat so still,
in the sunshine. ! nearly went to
sleep"
Where did he go?"
Il don't know, he didn't tell me-
Are you sure he went away? Be
careful now,'
Yes, 1 am sure, for boat went
down the creek. l wanted to tell him,
but l had TO wait till lie came back.
We couldn't catch any fish and we
went home. We didn't have much for
dinner
Mildred, do you know that this
makes it very bad for your father; that
your testimony will probably send him
to prison?"
I'D have to tell the truth. any
way. no matter what" said poor Mil
dred, between her sobs Its what nv
mother would do and my grandfather
wilkins and George Washington. Be
sides / know papa wants me to-"
Yes, Mildred" said the old man, Il
want you to-"
Wen, you can go, Mildred said the
judge.
Then l told what I knew about the
old man; how honest he was and how
good; how he refused credit when [
offered it to him. how he insisted upon
paying for the tobacco which l had
meant to give him.
The old man was next called and
asked if he wanted a lawyer to defend
him.
NO, yer honor, / amt got no use fur
lawyers. ] aint got nothin' to hide or
to be ashamed Of
is that door shet. your honor? [
don't want Mildred to hear. and 1 de-
oend on you folks here not to tell her.
We'll, we've had it extry hard, Mil
dred and me, thiS fall. Works been
skurse and l could hardly get enough
to buy US food. I've purtended wasn't
hungry most of the time, so that Mil
ored would eat more, and my clothes
IL purity thin.
$50 l got to feelin' purity poorly, and
once or twice l coughed up little
blood. That scared me. not on my own
account, but on account of Mildred. 1t
would break her heart If she knew it.
It'll be bad enough for the poor little
gal when it comes. / don't want her to
know it till she has to.
Well that day we didn't have
hardly anything to eat, so l thought
we'd go down to the creek; perhaps
we'd catch fish and. anyway, we'd
get warm in the sunshine"
Hold on" cried a lawyer. Il want
to call your attention, gentlemen of the
jury. to the prisoners evident poverty
which furnishes a strong motive for
the crime of which he is charged"
Just you wait. young man." said
Wilkins, I'll be through presently.
THAT day, your honor, ] felt one of
the spells coming on; so / told Mildred
, I was going to get drink of water
I went up under Johnston's back steps
and leaned ag'in q post. 1t was quite
a spell before 1 got over coughing, and
, 1 got a spot or two of blood on my
handkerchief and had to wash it out
= IN, hn
awhile before 1 got back"
do you really expect this jury of
intelligent men to believe such 'ish
) story as that?" cried the lawyer:
Young man." he answered, Il guess
: the plain, straight truth is little hard
: for you TO swaller-you amt had much
practice.
But, your honor" turning to the
, judge and raising his right hand SOL
emnly, its the truth, so help me GodF
We'll. gentlemen of the jury" said
the judge. you can now retire ana
agree as to your verdict
I'VE are agreed now" said the fore
/ man.
What is your verdict?"
innocent, your honor. And / want
to say" he added. as soon as the storm
: of applause had been checked, that
: have some light work Til give the old
man il he'll come around TO my place. :"
-
clothes" said another
Then 1 stood up and said 1 would be
t glad to have Mildred help me after
school and 1 would look after her
clothes.
Just then a policeman came in and
= said that the sack the money was in
r had been found on the railroad track
= 80 miles away. Whoever took the mon
ey had got away on the train and had
thrown the sack out of the window As
4 old man wilkins had not been away
/, from home at all this entirely cleared
him of all suspicion.
call Mildred" said the Judge
Mr.. wilkins" he said, taking him
by the hand, Il congratulate you on
= your honorable discharge. Still more,
r / congratulate you on having such q
daughter as Mildred Washington Will
kins. 1. for one, am proud to know
her May she always be as worthy of
+. the name she bears as she is now"
emphasized by the low broadness of
the toy cabinet. The toy cabinet is the
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