CHAPTER TWENTY-THIRD.
THE COMMITTAL.
On the morning that Ella was buried, Mrs. Wentworth was carried beforethe Mayor, and charges preferred against her for robbery. The packagecontaining the remainder of the money had been found on her person thenight previous, and this evidence was brought forward against her.
"What are your charges against this woman, Mr. Swartz," began hisHonor.
"Vell your Honor," replied that individual, "I vill tell dem in butfew words. Dis voman called at my shtore yesterday, and begged me formonish. I gave her von tollar, but she vouldn't take it, and after sheleft de shtore I found out dat a package of monish, dat was on de safewas gone, I den called mine clerk, and I look for de monish, and helooked for de monish, but ve neider of us find de monish. Den I saydat certainly somepody must take dish monish, and he say so too; denve remember dat dis voman vas leaning against de safe, and he told meof it, and I remember too, and--"
"Explain your charges against the woman as briefly as possible, Mr.Swartz," interrupted the Mayor. "I have not time to stay herelistening to a long round-about story."
"Von minute your Honor, von minute," replied the wretch. "I will soonfinish de account. As I vas saying, I remember dat dis voman vasstanding leaning by de safe and mine clerk tells me to go to de TrugShtore, as de voman vent in dere, and I goes in de Trug Shtore, andMr. Elkin he tells me dat de voman did come in dere and py some physicand dat she valk up de street, and I goes up de street and--"
"For goodness sake, Mr. Swartz, let me beg of you to conclude yourremarks as soon as possible and not detain the Court with unnecessarystatements," again interrupted the Mayor, "I see no use for you torepeat all that you did. Just come to the point at once and I will beable to decide whether this woman is to be committed or not."
"Shust von minute longer, your Honor," Mr. Swartz answered, "I villfinish directly. Vell, you see, I vent in te street, and I goes up testreet, and I asks te beoples if tey see tis voman, and von of tem sayhe not see te voman, and I ask anoter and he not see te voman, and Iask anoter again and he not see te voman eider."
"If you are going to continue this nonsense all day let me know, and Iwill prepare myself to listen, as well as to return the other prisonersto jail until to-morrow," observed His Honor. "It appears as if you cannever get through your tale. Speak quickly and briefly, and do not keepme waiting."
"Shust vait a little vile more nor not so musht," replied Mr. Swartz,and continuing his story he said, "I ask everybody if tey sees disvoman and dey say dey not sees te voman, and after I ask everybody vonman tell me dat he sees dis voman valk up de shtreet, and I go up deshtreet von little more vay and--"
"In the name of Heaven cease your remarks," exclaimed the Mayor, whohad become thoroughly exasperated at the narrative of Mr. Swartz.
"Gootness," observed that gentleman, "did you not shay I vas for totell vy I pring dis voman up?"
"Yea," replied His Honor, "but I did not expect you to give me a longnarrative of all that occurred during the time while you were lookingfor where she lived."
"Veil, I vill soon finish," he remarked, "as I was saying, I goes upde shtreet von little more vays and I ask anoder man vere dis vomanvas, and he shust look on me and shay he vould not tell noting to vontam Tutchman, and I go to von oder man and he show me von little logcabin, and I goes up dere softly and I sees dis voman in dere."
"All this has nothing to do with the charge you have preferred againsther," the Mayor said, "let me know upon what grounds you prefer thecharge of robbery against her."
"Vell, ven I sees her I valks pack to mine Shtore and I talks mit mineclerk, and he say I vas have to take out a varrant, and I comes to deCity Hall and I takes out de varrant, and I takes two policemen and Igoes to te cabin and finds dis voman dere, and she peg me not to takeher to jail, but I vouldn't pe pegged and I pring her to jail."
"Mr. Swartz, if you don't conclude your remarks at once I will benecessitated to postpone your case until to-morrow; I I am tired ofhearing your remarks, every one of which has been to no purpose. Yousay the package of money that you lost was found on this woman, andthat she had been in your store the same day and had leaned againstthe safe on the top of which the money had been placed by you."
"Dat's shust it," replied Mr. Swartz. "Ven I go mit te voman to tejail te jail man search her and find te monish in her pocket, and itvas te same monish as I had stolen off te safe.--But te monish vas notall dere; over tirty tollars vas taken out of it, and dat vas vat disvoman sphent, and I--"
"That's enough, Mr. Swartz," interrupted the Mayor. "You have saidenough on the subject, and I will now proceed with the accused."
While Mr. Swartz was speaking Mrs. Wentworth remained as silent as ifshe had not heard a word he said. Her appearance was calm, nor wasthere anything remarkable about her except a strange unnaturalbrightness of the eye.
"Well, my woman," continued the Mayor, "what have you to say inextenuation of the charge."
"Nothing, Sir," she replied, "I have nothing to say in defense ofmyself. The money was found on my person, and would alone prove meguilty of the theft. Besides which, I have neither desire norintention to deny having taken the money."
"What induced you to steal?" asked the Mayor.
"A greater tempter than I had ever met before," she replied. "It wasnecessity that prompted me to take that money."
"And you sphent tirty-tree tollers of it, py gootness," exclaimed Mr.Swartz, in an excited tone.
"As you acknowledge the theft," said the Mayor, "I am compelled tocommit you to prison until the meeting of the Superior Court, whichwill be in four days from this."
Mrs. Wentworth was then committed back to prison, and Mr. Swartzreturned to his store.
The spirit of the child had reached God and at that moment waspointing to her mother below. The day of rest is near.
The Trials of the Soldier's Wife Page 23