The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-10-07
THE WIDOWS SON

yam tree and watched his mother
washing clothes in the stream,
Across the hill rose the great white
Court of Justice, it's wide porch up
held by ten beautiful pillars. All
about it was lovely lawn and
playing fountains.
Hassan in his hut was a sad OBJ
ject. He was thin from long sick
ness which had taken all the money
the widow Garner. Their daily fare
was few spoons of rice and cup
of milk. But up the white road was
the castle of the lord who owned
the land. 81 must hasten to wash
the linen by noon," said the mother,
as she carried the heavy basket out
of the door, "the lord wants his
clothing for feast tonight and |
need the money for our supper"
SO she gave Hassan a bowl of rice
and milk, then took her way to the
creek, where she stood for hours
in the hot sun beating the linen to
snowy whiteness. Then as the
shadows crept from the west, she
brought the work home.
The boy was weak, but with the
aid of a small wagon he pulled the
bundle to the back yard of the great
lords castle and delivered it to a
maid. Then with three silver coins
he fastened home to his weary
mother.
About 9 that night there came
a knocking at the door and two
policemen entered. Eve have come
to arrest you for the theft of the
lords linen" they said as they drag
ged the poor woman to the Jail. In
vain she protested her innocence
they locked her up and left poor
Hassan at home alone in tears.
The next morning the mother
was brought into court, where the
lord told in loud voice that he had
given her his finest linen to wash
and she had stolen half of it, that
while two dozen pieces had been
given her, she returned only twelve.
The widow stated with tears in
her eyes that she. had given the
maid all the linen intrusted to her
care.
THAT is absurd" Numbered the
lord "She is thief and liar.
want back my linen and she must
stay in prison till the goods are re-
turned"
81 did not take the linen," pro-
tested the woman to the judge.
evil you not believe the word of
one who has always been known as
an honest woman"
"Honest?" laughed the lord.
"Why am sure this woman cannot
tell anything right. Let her state
to us here how many pillars there
are on the porch of this court"
OF course the woman, who had
never counted the pillars, did not
know the number.
"There now" exclaimed the lord
triumphantly. you see what a
stupid thing she is--though she has
lived opposite this court for years,
she does not know the number of
pillars, so why should she know
how many pieces of linen she re-
turned?"
At this the judge said the lord
was right and that the woman must
go to prison for year. Up sprang
little Hassan, and, walking bravely
before the judge, he said:
eff you are going to condemn my
mother for not knowing the number
of pillars, will you please tell me
how many steps there are on the
porch, steps up which you walk
every day."
The Judge turned red and hung
his head, for he could not reply.
"Well," continued Hassan, "You
are unfair to punish her on grounds
which you fail on yourself. My
mother is an honest woman, as all
neighbors will testify"
At this the judge rose and said
that he would let the woman go free
as no theft had been proven against
her, but hardly had he ceased
speaking when servant ran into
the court.
"The linen has been found, my
lord" he exclaimed, part Of it had
fallen into a box under the shelf"
eff that is so, exclaimed the judge
81 rule that this lord. who has