Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-07-06

: with tall and elegant female leaning OF
his arm. She was attired in simple
, white dress, with a wreath of ivy
leaves encircling her large straw bon
net, and lace veil completely conceal
ing her countenance. Burr whispered
few words, apparently encouraging
her to advance, and then gracefully raj
sing her veil, disclosed TO US face OF
proud, surprising beauty. | recolleci
as well as if it happened yersterday,
how simultaneously the murmur of adj
miration burst from the lips of all pre-
sent. Turning to the plaintiff, Burr
asked in cold, quiet tone
'1Do you know this lady?''
Answer. Il do''
Burr. "Will you swear to that?''
Ans. 81 will; to the best of my knowl-
edge and belief she is my daughter
Burr. ''Can you swear to her iden-
tity?"
Ans Il CAM
Burr. ''What is her age?'
Ans ''She was 30 years of age on
the Goth day of April
Burr. "When did you last see her?"
| Ans. AT her own house about fort
night since"
Burr. "When did you last see her
previous to that meeting?'
The plaintiff hesitated-a long pause
ensued-the question was repeated, and
the answer at length was
son the 18th day of May, IL
"When she was just three weeks old
added Burr. 'Gentlemen,' continued
he, turning to us, Il have brought this
lady here as an important witness. and
such | think, she is. The plaintiffs
counsel has pleaded eloquently in behalf
of the bereaved husband, who escaped
the perils of the sea and returned only
to find his home desolate. But who will
picture to you the lonely wife bending
over her daily toll, deyoting her best
years to the drudgery of sordid power
ty, supported only by the hope of her
husbands return? Who will paint the
slow progress of notwithstanding the
wasting anguish of hope deferred, and
finally, the overwhelming agony which
came upon her when her last hope was
extinguished, and she was compelled to
believe herself indeed a widow? Who
can depict all this without awakening in |
your hearts the warmest sympathy for
the deserted wife, and the interest scorn
"
thus trample on the heart of her whom
he had sworn TO love and cherish? We
need not inquire into his motive for act /
ing so base a part. Whether it was
love of gain; or RIGHTEOUSNESS, or sell |
fish Indifference, it matters not; he IS too
vile a thing to be Judged by such laws
as govern men. Let us ask the witness;
she who now stands before us with the
l. &c toI
woman; let US ask her which of these
two has been to her father
Turning to the lady, in tone whose
sweetness was in strange contrast with
the scornful accent that had just charac-
terised his words, he besought her to re-
late briefly the recollections of her ear
ly life. A slight flush passed over her
proud and beautiful face as she replied.
EiMy first recollections are of a small
ill-furnished apartment, which my SIS
ter and myself shared with my mother.
She used to carry out every Saturday
evening the work which had occupied
her during the week, and bring back
for the following one. Sa-
wing that wearisome visit to her employ
ers, and her regular attendance at
church, she never left the house. She
often spoke of my father, and Aahis
return, but at len III The
ceased to mention him, though sB4rv
ed she used to weep more freqHshtlv
than ever. | then thought she wept be-
cause we were so poor, for 1t sometimes
happened that our only support was
bit of dry bread; and she was accustom-
ed to see by the light of the chips
which she kindled to warm her famish
ing children, because she could not
purchase a candle without depriving us
of our morning meal. Such was our
poverty when my mother contracteda
second marriage, and the change TO US
was like sudden entrance into Para
disc. We found home and a father"
She paused.
'sWould you excite my own child
against me?'' cried the plaintiff, as he
waved his hand for her to
be silent. a
The eyes of the witness flashed fire
as he spoke. '.You are not my father"
exclaimed she vehemently--. ''The law
may deem YOU such but disclaim you
utterly. What. call you my fatherl-
you, who basely left your wife to toll
and your children to beggary? Never
never. Behold there my father" pom
ting to the agitated defendant, ''there IS
the man who watched over my infancy;
who was the sharer of my childish
sports, and the guardiap'of my inexpe-
rienced youth There is he who claims
my affection and shares my home; there
is my father. For yonder selfish wretch,
know him not The best years of
his life have been spent in lawless free
dom from social ties; let him seek else
where for the companion OF his decreP-
titude, nor dare insult the ashes of my
mother by claiming the duties OF kindred
from her deserted Children
She drew her veil hastily around her
as she spoke, and moved as if to with
draw
s.Gentlemen,'' said Burr, Il Have no
more 10 say The word1of the law
are expressed in the book ~setore You;
the words of truth you have Just heard
c~<,x~, ..-<,x,x.n-S ptrra Inns II IL for yrTl 10