The Rodney telegraph. (Rodney, Miss.) 1838-1840, 1839-05-11

l Almira Will get this, and know tnat no o!n-
er human being would cause you to forget
your friend They then parted.
As Hamilton was riding slowly home
ward, engaged in thought, deer sprang
suddenly from the thicket and fell in the road
before his horse, who started and threw him
to the ground. In examining the deer which
had been MORALLY wounded, and still strug-
Cling, some of the blood was sprinkled on his
dress. Paying little attention to these cir
cumstances, he returned home.
Though his absence had been brief, ma
ny hands grasped his in cordial welcome,
for few of the young men of the country |
as Hamilton. But to none was his return |
so acceptable as Almira-. She had |
been his play mate in infancy,-his school |
mate in childhood-in maturer years their
intimacy had ripened into love, and they
were soon to be united in the hottest and
dearest of ties. But the visions Of hope
were soon to pass from them.
A vague report was brought to the village
that the body of murdered man was found
near Scottsville. 1t was first mentioned by
a traveller in a company where Hamilton
was present; and he exclaimed, mo G)ubt it
is Saunders-how unfortunate that left
him-and then retired under great excite
ment. His manner and expression awaken
ed suspicion, which was unhappiIy corrob-
. GRATED by variety of circumstances. He
had ridden away with Saunders, who was
known to have been in possession of large
sum of money. Since his return, he had
paid off debts to large amount; the pen
knife of Saunders was recognized in his
hand-yet none were willing to hazard
direct accusation.
:, The effect Of this intelligence upon Ham
ilton was marked. The sudden death of a
dear friend is hard to be supported. He
, would sit for hours in a state Of abstraction,
, from which even the smiles of love could
2 not awaken him.
Ell The elections were at hand, and Hamil-
o ton was candidate for the Legislature
a In the progress Of the canvass, the foul charge
# was openly made, and propagated with the
remorseless spirit of party animosity. Yet
n he heard it not, until one evening as he sat
If with Amira, in her fathers house. While
<, they were conversing, the father of Almira
e entered the room-sMr. Hamilton said he.
oil 4 am frank mani consented to your un-
q ion with my daughter, believing your char.
IL acter to be unstained-but regret to hear a
a. charge is made against you-I believe it to
n be a fabrication of your enemies-but, until
e. it shall be disproyed, and your character
in placed above suspicion, you must be sensi
er BILE that the union cannot take place, and tina
ne your visits must be discontinued
IT, sWhat does my father mean?-inquret
"a Almira, anxiously, as her indignant paren
retired
81 do not know replied the lover, cit il
some electioneering story, no doubt, which
can easily explain. only regret that i
should give you, moments uneasiness.'
sIt shall cause me none,' replied the con
= fidipg glrl, Il cannot believe any evil of you
no He retired-sought the nature of hi
" charge and to his inexpressble astonishmen
as and hrepr, learned that he was accused of th'
III murder of his friend! In a state. little shor
be of distraction, he retired to his room, recall
al ed the circumstances connected with th'
ev melancholy catastrophe, and for the frs
~ time, saw the dangerous ground on which
NJ he stood. But proud in conscious innocence
nd he felt that to withdraw at that stageof tn
he canvass, nigh. be construed into confess
~ ion Of guilt. He remained candidate,
-. was beaten. Now, forihe first time did h
:, feel the wretchedness Of a condemned man
he The tribunal of public opinion had pronour
ost ced against him the sentence of conviction
and even his friends became cold and wa
vering. Conscious that the eye Of suspicio
To- was open, and satisfied that nothing short {
ey public investigation, could restore him
Jus honor, he surrendered himself to the civ
'ou authorities. Little did he know of the m;
lightly of man, or the fatal energy of populs
delusion! He reflected not, that when til
s q public mind is imbued with prejudice. owe
ing truth ceased to be mighty. Many believe
'e's him guilty, and labored to collect evidenc
ke, against him. But arrayed in the panoply
innocence, he stood firm, and confident
md acquital The best counsel was engages
ous and Hamilton stood an arraigned culprit,.
al presence of those before whom he had wal
ed in honor from childhood.
lers As the trial proceeded, the confidence
az his friends diminished-trifles light as Al
=. became combinations strong as proofs of
;.h- " Writ to the jealous minds Of toe audienc
) til His recent intimacy with the deceased, a
an even the attention which friendship and
me pitality had dictated, were insisted upon
the evidences ola deliberate plan -long form
ned and gradually developed. The faeis, Il
mid he accompanied the deceased on his way
~ that he lost the path in a country in viii
cen he was supposed to be familiar-his cond,
red. on hearing Of the death Of his friend-t
emf. money-the knife-caused the most incr,