Year: 1861

Not long ago, in rural part cf England,
little girl was in the habit OF stealing barley
from rick. She ald her companions persisted
III following this pastme in spite OF the remon-
strances and threats of the owner, and at last
lie lost patience, seized on her as the oldest of
the offenders, and brought her before the
bench OF magistrates. AS it was proved that
this was not q causal but an haUitual offence
the bench u ought lit to make an example of
her, and ordered her to pay two shillings as
fine besides the eXpenCes. But law, even of
the simplest, costs money, and the expenses
were seventeen shillings. 1t was not certain
that the friends OF the little thief would Law
down sovereign for her, unless some gentle
pressure was exercised, it was therefore added
to the sentence that, unless the fine and ex-
penses were paid within Il given time, she
should go to prison three weeks. This pro-
duced the desired effect, and the money was
found and pad


But the history was not to end there. One
or two OF the papers that watch the proceed
ings of the magistrates with most jealousy and
suspicion, got hold ot the case. Here was
monstrOus outrage on common sense and a
cruel ty ranny OF the rich over the poor A
poor little child sent to jail Tor three weeks be-
cause the simple creature in its play, pulled
little barley, valued at two pence, out Of rick
The writers of sensation articles eXulted in so
telling theme, and Tor once they produced an
effect much greater than usually falls TO tt e
lot Of the Calos and Brutuses OF journalism
The readers OF the sensation article took it iu-
10 their heads 10 subscribe for the injured in
Docent. The generosity of one was stilmuat-
ed 10y the record OF that of another. Subscrp
tous poured in, and in the end no less than
thirty five pounds were collected aud handed
over 10 the friends Of the Child.


Such is the harvest that this lucky little giil
has reaped from the fruitful soil OF British in
dignation. Few instances OF good luck could
be more surprising She has been the talk
not only OF her parish but OF all England She
will heucefortl be pointed at in school and at
church as the celebrated Jane Smith, or what
ever her name Is whose wrongs moved En-
gland to wrath and set in motion tie pens of
'PUblicOla and 'AriStdes,' aud Il Lover of
Homely Justice And she will not .ony be
the heroine of the parish, but also its hciress
II her thirty five pounds are carefully put out
at interest, she will have, at least, fifty pounds
by the time she was her own mistress. Fifty
pounds in hard cash is, among the village poor
quite as gr at fortune for young woman to
have as fifty thousand is for young lady.
Then, il We contrast the greatness of the end
with the smallness and ignobe character of the
means and first starting-pont OF her good for
tune we get at the trde measure ul her luck
She has suddenly become famous and rich,
and this, by simply stealing two penny worth
of barley. None Of the poets that have sung
the tickleness and blindness OF fortune had
ever more telling instance to furnish theme
for their verses.


7 he luck Of this lucky little thief is exceed
ing ineligible. There are so many benefits,
both OF solid and also of an ornamental kind,
that she may derive from it. In the first
place portion OF her wealth may be spent on
her education. She might even be sent for
ouarter of a year to a finishing school at six
teen euineas per annum. Then she might get
few books far beyond what most OF her
friends could boast, which would help her to
keep up what she had learned, or at any rate
sustain her reputation ior learning. She
might, Tor example, get one OF those standard
books prized Gy the poor, such as the Whole
Duty OF Man, and as she woald probably not
feel much inclined to use It, she might pru-
dently go TO the expense OF having copy IN
handsome olholhg; ms would be lasting
credit to her, ana would help her IN many
We fancy lovers would sneak