The North-Carolina standard., 1843-04-12

eyesOf Jury. lis Sthrange thing to AK father
to do" mutteredPeery, more than once, as he pro-
ceeded to the magistrates; Its very shrange
thing" /
The magistrate proved to be humane man.
Notwithstanding the zeal of the steward and the
policemen, he committed Mchaul for trial, with
out continuing to press the hesitatng and bewil
dered old Peery into any detailed evidence; his
nature seemed to rise against the task, and he SAID
to the steward-"I have enough Of ftcts for maxi
ing out a committal, if you think the father will
be necessary on the trial, subpoena him.
The steward objected that Peery would abScond !
and demanded to have him bound over to prose
cute on suretieS, solventand respectable. The
magistrate assented Peery could name no bail;
and consequently he also marched to prison,
though prohibited from holding the least inter
course with Michaul.
The assizcs soon came on Michau was ar
raigned; and, during his plea of mot guilty" his
father appeared unseen by hun, in the ailor
tody, at the back Of the dock rather in inner
doGk. The trial excited keen and painful inter-
est in the court. the bar, the jury-box, and the
crowd of spectators 1t was universally known
that had stolen sheep, partlyto feed starry
ing father and that out of the mouth of that father
it was now sought to condemn him. ''What will
the old man dog" was the general question which
ran through the assembly; an while few of the /
lower orders could contemplate the possibility of
his swearing to the truth, many of their betters !
natural necessity to swear falsely
The trial began. The first witness the herds
man, proved the loss of the sheep AMI the fn:ling
the dlsmembered carcass in the oil barn. The
policemen and the steward followed to the same
effect and the latter ad led the alluSiOnS which he
had heard the father make to the son, upon the
morning of the arrest of the Latter The steward
went down from the table There was pause
and complete silence, which thr attorney for the
prosecution broke by say;ng to the crier, delibe
rately, "Call Peery Carroll"
"Here, sie," immediate i answered Prery, as
the jailer led him by 4 sIe door, oat of the back
dock to the table. The prisoner started roun1;
but the new witness against him had passed for an
instant into the crowd ;
The next instant oil Pecry was s-cn ascending
the table, assisted by the Iafer and by many other
commissioning hands near him. Every gIInce was
fixed on his face. The barristers looked wstfulIy
up from their seats round the table; the Judge put
glass to his eye an seemed to stuly his Eanres
atentively. Among the audience there ran low
but expressive murmur of pity and interest t
Though much emaciated by coninnmrnt an ,
guish and suspense, Peery's cheeks had 4 flush.
and his weak blue eyes glitterrd The half gap
ing expression of his parchrd AMI haggnrd lips l
was miserable to see. And yst hr dil not tremblr
much, nor appear so ronfoundcd us upon the DIV Y
of his visit to the magistrates
The moment he stood upright on the table. he !
turned himself fully to the judge. without glance
toward the dock
';Sit down, sit down. poor man," s,iI the ipd:,e II
"Ihanks to you my lord, L WILL answered .
Peery, "only, first I'd AK yoH to let me kneel for
little stlrt AMI he accordingly did knecl after
bowing his head and forming th sign of the cross
on his forehead, he looked mp, and said: "Mv p
Judge IN heaven above, It's you pray to keep me
10 my duty, aore my earthly Judge this day; d
amen and then repeating the Sign of the cross 81
he seated himself r,
The examination of the wtn"$s commenced 81
and humanely proceeded as foIIowS-(tfe counsel i,
for the prosecution taking no notice of the super e
fluffy of'Peery's answrrs) ~
'Do you know Michaul, or Micha Carroll =.
the prisoner at the blr?" ="
'Afore that night, sir b, lcvrd knr,v him 2
we'll; every thought of his Mind every bit of the,
heart IN his body; afore thlt night 40 living c.
creature could throw word ut MichIul Carroll; Il
or say he ever forgot his f,ther's rcnoyvn or his
love OF hlS COOL God an sure the propIe are af nj
ther telling you by this time how il come about 81
that night-an' you, my lord an We g n:lclncn. bt
an all good christians that hrar m": here am q
to help hang hlm-my own boy, AMI nv only 5
one-but, for all that. grntrrn,n, We o:1oht to fir
think of 1T twas for the wrcnoct anil the ouU re-
father that ne done it; nlncd an deed we hadn't e,
Pyatce IN the place; an the sickness was among f,
us, start afore; ii took the wife from him, AMI W
another baby; an it had himself down yeeL, or =,
SO beforehand an all that dty he was looin for ~
work, but couldn't get hands turn to do; an vi vi
that's the way it Was; not mouthful for me an o. o.
little Peery; an more betotcn, he grew sorry for
it. IN the mornn, and promised me not to touch br
scrap Of what was in the barn, ny, long afore the m
steward an the peclers came on MS but was win pl
to go among the neighbors an beg our breakfast of
along wId myself from door to door, sooner than
touch it." ct,
''lt is my painful duty" resumed the barrister ST
when Peery would at length cease, sto ask YOU ex
for closer information. You saw Michaul Car nC
roll in the barn that nght2'
"M1sA@-the Lord pity him and mel did, r.,
"Doing what2' Ca
"The sheep between his hands," answered rl{
Perry dropping his head, and speaking almost
81 must still give you pain, fear; stand up: co
take the criers rod and If you See Michaul C5r,
roll in court, lay it on his head'
"Oeh, "ustG, nuusha, sir, don't ak me to do ey
hat pleaded Peery, rising, wringing his hands,
and, for the first time, weeping don't nv
lord don't and may your own Judgment be favo:- irr
Il am sorry to command you to do it. witness. cal