Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-05-14


affected modesty, and touching beauty
10 her Distress, caused lh. oihrinls vi ,hr
police 10 make such arrangements a. the
place afforded To render her necessary
detention until mofuing IA little dlsugt rec.
nble as possible. Under any crrnm.
stances il would have been embarrassing
aud painful. As the cns- was no or.
dinnry one, and hnd much Appearance
of interesting mystery, II WAS rr-er7ed
for The magistrates private examination.
When the two prisoners were confined,
there was mutual start of surprise and
hnlfrecognilion which did not rscap"
the keen observation OF the magistrate
lie heard The story of ih. wnichm"n
which. as the reader is aware, c"nld
throw no light Upon the relative po.lil"n
of the paiii-s to cnrh other. ~. hnd
Witnessed too many apparent imposs'hIli-
ties in his time Ia dispute positively the
unchnritable inference that Laura had
made an unsuccessful attempt upon the
lie oi the young man who sa N the
Office, the picture Oi perpleal'y and de-
spair. He seemed nrrying himself tor
an eTui To speak but Justice dismissed
the attendants and kindly suggest, 10
the youuv woman that her most proper
course was to send and obtain the AS
sis,ance and counsel of her friends. --
lie told her that whatever might Ia" The
result, concraimrni from them was in-
possible; and that wha'evrr might b'
the character Of her difficulty, II were
better At once to appeal 10 those who
knew and loved her, than io trn.i To
strangers for charity, which might only
en,harrass aud involve her.
The young man rssaycd 10 sprak,
protesting that If his testimony could be
received no would entirely exonerale
Laura from every charge except that Of
having savcd a life which would have
been better lost. The magistrate with
an incr, dulons smile shook his head, and
recommended silence Ia hun ns well M
10 her. lie suspected naturally enough
that the couple stood IN some strange re-
laiiop, which their mutual friends could
better manage than the municipal an-
ihori,ics, and although the appearance
or the young man prcposscssed ham lIt-
TO in his favor, the humanity Of the man
Ovcr-mastered the nngisirrie 80 iar NJ
Laura was concerned; aud he found no
difficulty in pcrsuadiug himself that, as
no complaint had been entered, there
was 10 absolute necessity yet i"r his in
irrlrIeuce us an administrator .! the
law.
I.nurn hesialed She saw the pain
iul aud suspicion, features Of her position,
aud knew that il was ia tue power Oi the
,ourg man by the generous act oi self
sacrifice which he had offered, 10 cXcui.
pate her bu, she saw, moreover, The
unrrobability which would siill remain
accounting 'or her presence NJ the pre-
'isr jnuclure to save his lie. hat
luth is stranger than fiction Ia every day
uipird as "a provr,b, bui men continue
nevertheless To- consider s'rangencss pre-
sump,ive evidence at falsehood. He,
unsupported word mig ht not ba believed
bui ii Mrs Melville aud here she hes
na,ed aga,o. Could she dare TO call up
nn her IN su-h Illuminating difficulty,
after her abrupt dcser'lon from her
roof
'Snr"l,, ssid the young man rising,
'ore ~ beautiful as Oh are, and so pure
~ yoi must he ,cann"t be wiihou, TRENDS
Send inr them, thni under the embar.
rsssiug bu, Impressive circumstances III
which we stand, they may hear from
me ia explanation which will not only
,rirve you from suspicion, but rebound
~ Your prals.'
Aud y. she spoke, Laura gnzeL art
lFssIy nt the cOunicnance which np"
woIr some nf the expression which had
,nlrrncrd her when she warned him, in
Il; riirrly, from the gaming table months
before
Do you really mean TO say asked
lhr puzzled justice, that you are moi
.Id cquaIutnUc.S"
Upon my honor, do, he answered
we have met once before, II ~ Irnc-
hut 1t was Ivy accident, and only for an
instant.
Laura asIrnled To The necessity, and n
messenger wac despatched for her bene
lrcrrrss A. tn" good lady rnter"d the
apartment, ihe first person whom her
eyes encountered was the yonDg man,
aud, lifting rp hcr eyes IN as'onIshmen',
she exclaimed -
George Melville "
Tho young mans confusion was too
great to permit him To reply. Mrs Mel
ville then seated herself by Laurn, and
kindly taking her hand, delighted the.
k,nd magistrate bryond measure, by the
full guarantee h,ch thus afforded al Lnu.
ra's character Were il proper. we
would record the name Of our officer,
who is at once honorcd for his humanity,
admired 10, his energy aud respected Tor
his integrity, aud whose nrbap'y and
goodness oi heart, makes his office rs
much one of brnevclrnce, az Of public
justice TINT, too, wi'hou, injury to.
tho efficiency or impcdim n, to the ad-
miui.ira,iou Of the laws he Is sworn to
administer.
The presence Of Mrs. Melville unrnv-
'llrd nll the my -,rry, and though the po-
lice reporters, Who had promised their