Page:Upbuilders by Lincoln Steffens.djvu/133



in prison might not other boys go on robbing the pigeon-loft? The Judge says it is “out of the mouths of babes” that he has learned wisdom. He took the prisoners into his chamber, and he talked with them.

Now, the Judge’s talks with boys and girls are regarded with superstition by some people; he gets such wonderful results — the truth, for example. Children who lie to their parents, their teachers, and the police, tell him everything. ‘The police started a story that Judge Lindsey is a “hypnotist,” and others speak wisely of his “method.” His “method” is very simple; he employed it, before he knew it was a “method,” with his Italian “thief” and his first trio of “burglars.” Friendship is the key. Judge Lindsey talks to boys as one boy talks to another.

His personal appearance helps him. The “Jedge” is a short, slight, boyish-looking young man, open-faced, direct, sincere, and he lays off the ermine, figuratively speaking, very readily; indeed, he hardly ever puts it on now, even on the bench. In chambers he comes right down to earth, using boy-talk, including slang. For this he has been criticized by good people who think of English as an institution, to be kept pure. The Judge answers that he has something else in mind than the purity of the language. He has