Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-08-29

particularly dltIdCteu to"a'us so'S
country people who were collected upon
the pavement below. There were five
of them; three men and two women. Oi
the latter, one dressed decently in long
red cloak, was crying very bitterly, her
face had in her handkerchief, and lcant
upon the arm Of an elderly man, who
stood firmly upright, his ruddy sun burnt
countcnance fixed in Gn expression made
% Of sorrow, anger and contempt. HIS
hat seemed siouched over his face as If
to prevent any one from recognizing
him, but it was not sufficiently large to
conceal either his dark fiery eye, or the
long white hairs that fell down the side
of his face Immediately opposite them
stood man ami woman, seemingly OF
lower rank in life, and Of "a very differ
ent character; the woman, who was dir
lty in the extreme, althoag h with some
few patches Of iincry about her dress,
l9lled carelessly, throwing her eyes
around her IN a manner which seemed TO
prove how far she was removed from any
Thing like the sorrows which the other
woman so strongly manifested. The
man stood with his arms crossed, his hat
placed Just upon the top OF his head, and
his i'll looking ruffiar-like countenance
indicating something very like defiance.
The remaining member of the group
! stood between the men, and from his APP
pearance | concluded him to he an at
torncy's clerk. When had observed
| Them a few minutes, the latter member
of the party left them, and made his way
towards the hall, the others remaining as
before. Zounds" exclaimed the
rough looking man, "this is nothing Of
a scrape! | have been in many a worse
I one, and always got clear off. Haven't
Poll"
Foil nodded her assent. "I don't
know what you call a scrape them" said
the old man; ls'tno scrape to be made
! the gaze of all the town; to be printed
in the calender as thief; to be brought
from prison to hall, and sent from hall
to ----w He paused the word SEEM
cd to choke him "Crcat God! that ev
er Il son Of mine should stand in the
dock, aud hold up his head as ieor~
Nay, nay, woman" turning to his wile,
who seemed bursting with grief, don't
ye cry, now don't ye cry" Tears roll
cd down the poor mans checks as he
spake, and his wife, for such | Judged
the woman leaning on his arin, sobbod
bitterly. Oh! there's no occasion for
yc to take on so about 'un-Poll and l'll
swear rs he was at home all night"
"What though you will:' exclaimed
| the other man, raising himself, and
speaking Indignantly, "what though you
will' Think ye your oaths will be taken,
ye who have been at the very tread-mIl
in England, and whose neck has twenty
times been within yard of the gnllows
ropei What good will your oaths do'"
81 don't see why my oath amt as good
as any other mans" he answered bus
teringIy, as if seemingly inclined to quar-
rel.
81 do" answered the old man; "were
l upon the jury, l wouldn't believe one
word you said. You swore to me the
last time 1 saw you, that you knew
naught Of my lad, and at that very time
Kate Cicely and him were in your house,
and you knew it,"
"Pooh," answered he, "I want go
ing to give up my friend"
" Your trend!" echoed the old man,
how came he to be your fricndl You
decoyed him from me you and that har-
lot Kate, and now you have placed him
where you should be, to stand the brunt
for you. Your irlendp
Ere the other had time TO reply, their
former companion joined them, and
whispering to them, they all walked to-
wards the court house. Jack Uasper,
for that turned out to be the name OF the
ruflian-looking fellow, and the woman
who vas with him walked on first; the
old man and his wife followed slowly;
felt too great interest in what ! had
heard not to walk after them. The wo-
man dried her eyes, and they proceeded
towards the top Of the steps. perceIv-
ed the old man became more and more
feeble-stcp by step he moved slowly
on-he reached the tep-he approached
the outer door of the court-"I can 60
no further" he remarked, should die
if l were to see him. Oh, God! be
merciful!" Poor man! he clasped his
hands before his face, and fell forwards
upon the door in the most dreadful ago
ny. Tears poured down his cheeks, and
his whole frame seemed convused. His
wife, for moment, forgot her own sor.
row, in her anxiety for her husband;--
: she led him gently towards the corner
farthesi from the door, through which
The busy crowd were passing to and fro
He still held his hands before his face
= and crept close to the wall, as if afrait
!, that any one should recognize him
. had remained at some distance from
them, but felt that my observance wa.