er person
or persons unknown, for breaking three panes of glass, value
ninepence, in the house of the said widow. Being directed to tell her
case to the court, she made a curtsey and began as follows:

"Please, your lordship, I was sitting at work by my fireside between
the hours of six and seven in the evening, just as it was growing
dusk, and little Jack was spinning beside me, when all at once crack
went the window, and down fell a little basket of cakes that was set
up against it. I started up and cried to Jack: 'Bless me, what's the
matter?' 'So,' says Jack, 'sombody has thrown a stone and broke the
window, and I dare say it is some of the schoolboys.' With that I ran
out of the house, and saw some boys making off as fast as they could
go. So I ran after them as quick as my old legs would carry me, but I
should never have come near them if one had not happened to fall down.
Him I caught and brought back to my house, when Jack knew him at once
to be Master Henry Luckless. So I told him I would complain of him the
next day, and I hope your worship will make him pay the damage, and I
think he deserves a good whipping into the bargain for injuring a poor
widow woman."

The Judge, having heard Mrs. Careful's story, desired her to sit down,
and then calling up Master Luckless, asked him what he had to say for
himself. Luckless appeared with his face a good deal scratched, and
looking very ruefully. After making his bow and sobbing two or three
times, he said:

"My lord, I am as innocent of this matter as any boy in the school,
and I am sure I have suffered enough about it already. My lord, Billy
Thompson and I were playing in the lane near Mrs. Careful's house when
we heard the window crash, and directly after she came running out
towards us. Upon this Billy ran away, and I ran too, thinking I might
bear the blame. But after running a little way I stumbled over
something that lay in the road, and before I could get up again she
overtook me, and caught me by the hair, and began lugging and cuffing
me. I told her it was not I that broke her window, but it did not
signify; so she dragged me to the light, lugging and scratching me all
the while, and then said she would inform against me. And that is all
I know of the matter."

"I find, good woman," said the Judge, "you were willing to revenge
yourself without waiting for the justice of this court."

"My lord, I must confess I was put into a passion, and did not
proper