Year: 1860

say nothing that these doctrines were
always stated by him so precisely and
logically that the minutest link in his
chain of causation never showed flaw;
to say nothing that he had espied the
very topmost boughs of the goodly tree
of sin, and dug down lin his opinion)
nearer to its far hidden and obscure root
than any other man; to say nothing OF
these Things, he so viewed all reformatory
law for crime as twaddle from the human
school of philosophy that he had his own
stern will, every statute and every law
against the criminal should have been
burnt, and replaced by those two very
tangible and summary processes for cur.
ing evil-the halter and the gibbet


Thirteen years ago the Baron had
gone on circuit to the north. His old
clerk Rednot had gone on circuit too,
and old Joe Bottle, who prided himself
on being the judges servant ~ years,
had taken coach that very morning to
visit some country relatives. No one
was left in the old dull house in the old
square, but that most useful person the
maid of all work, and the cook, and the
housekeeper, summed up in the person OF
Becky.


Upon this certain morning, Becky, was
busy dusting the library, when her ear
was caught by the low voice of child
outside the area rails. She had at that
moment lifted up from the table an old
fashioned massive silver inkstand, and
turning round saw that it was a wretched
narrow faced child, who probably had
stopped to beg.


Her kindly thoughts in moment were
travelling fast between the hot roll left
from Joe's breakfast and the two-pence
in her pocket, when the postman's quick
rap was heard at the hall door.


1t was letter from her master, Becky
was sure, and she hurried to the door,
with the duster and inkstand in her hand


Recognizing the masters stiff straight
characters on the letter, and so as to pay
the postage, she, in the anxious absence
of the moment, set down the duster and
the mkstand on the step, while she dived
down into the hidden mysteries of her ca
pacious pocket. The postman was care
lessly looking down the street and when
she had gone to him, given him the
money, and come again the inkstand was
gone-the silver inkstand that the Judge
so much priced


In the first moment Of doubt and as
tonishement, she knew not what TO think;
but recollecting the keen-iaced child, who
but the instant before had been in sight,
she hurried from the door, and looked
down the street, and calling upon the
postman to follow her. saw the child run
ming onward with breathless speed. The
postman however soon caught the thief,
just as she had thrust the inkstand be-
meath the ragged strip of shawl that hung
about a girl somewhat older than herself.
To half cry with Joy was Becky's first
impulse when the inkstand was again
really safe to tremble at the bare
thought of the Judges sern displeasure,
had it been LOST. to almost sink in heart
at the idea of one doubt upon her long
tried honesty --all these for the instant
were paramount, but all sunk into mere
no.hingness, or rather were all merged
into one feeling of womanly and simple
mercy, when she glanced down upon the
upturned face of mingled terror, pinch
ing hunger and pain.


'You--'commenced the postman, in
stern voice.


Had no wittles,' spoke up the child,
sullenly.


These words robbed the heart of the
iudge's honest servant of it's last touch of
anger. She said something about let
ting the child go; but too late. a crowd
had collected, policeman stepped in,
and the thief was soon in the station-house.


1t was a sorrowful night, that, to the
compassionate heart of Becky though
her fire was bright, her tea good, and
even the barber from little street hard
by, had stepped in to talk over the matter
with her. And she was still more sad
the next day when in her best gown she
curtis;ed to the magis rate Of the police
court, and saw the pale child in the dock.


The case was tried and was fully and
clearly proved.


My good woman, spoke the magis-
trate in kind voice, Il know your mas
ter would prosecute this case to the full
est extent of the law, but to what end ?
Here is a child seven years old, without
one friend, and if / send her to prison
she will probably come ont only more
confirmed in precocious wicledness or if
sent back into the streets, but to starva-
ton or something more horrible. --incipi-
ent prostitution. But were some one to
save by teaching her, and----'


Becky, the great judges poor servant,
looked here at the magistrate, and then
at the child


please sir and the sympathy of our
divincst nature justified itself, I've E57
los Cd in the savings bank, and just two
sovcreigns more in the spice box-so if
a little schooling might


Might do more than the prison or the
law could do, turn guiltless sin into good,
and If with some work


Yes, yes interrupted Becy, pleased
with the magistrates manner, and inter
preting the matter in her own way; If
she were to turn out tidy, and could
keep the thing from masters ears, why |
could teach her to roast, and bake, and
set his room to rights, and


and if you should succeed in half
chimcd in the magistrate, you'd show