Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-05-28

She is innocent, he said, as he concluded J.
his story; she must be innocent. For ten years !
/ lived alone with my mother, thinking Of my !
labors and my duties, only; then this beautiful, $
noble being came into our house learned
to know cultivated and strong spirit, stead
FAST capable mind. loved this rare naiden,
and could have thrown away my heart and
nv best feelings upon thief! No, it is I'M
possible.
The director showed deep sympathy for the
misfortune which rested SO heavily upon WIZ
lam, and immediately procured him permission
to see Anna, in the house of correction, where
she had been placed, free from the presence OF
witnesses.
When William produced the paper which
gave him permission to visit Anna the director
Of the place, an old man with hard iea-
lures and severe expression Of countenancc,
said:
Il have filed this post now for twcnty-seven
years, and have never before seen such a Grim
NAL as this one The maiden it is stated, has
stolen, but, ii it were not put down so on the
record, never should believe it, for she is tarI
too good and modest The most hardened
creatures in the place respect her, and alto" her
to speak to them and rebukc them for their
rudeness. 1t is really cruel Well; she has
no complaint 10 make Of me, for have treated
her WELL
Anna was brought into the reception room'-
At sight Of William, she was, for moment,
speechless. aud then crimson bushes shed them
selves over her serious pale face But she
Iquickly recovered herself,
Il have no cause to blush, said she, with a
steady voice, | am innocent. The Lord be
praised that see you again Yes, IN the most
sorrowu nights, when the spectre OF shame
lowered over my wretched couch, end frightened
sleep from my wet eye, the thought of you Sd
we'd me from despair There is one, have said
to myself thousand times, who will hear me IN
exremity-who will not torsake me. Ernst, the
eldest son of my benelactor, he with whom |
2 have grown up, scorning the memory of his no
A bic father, turned away from me. | implored
the widow of my loster-aiher to receive me
her son-in-law, the forester, forbade his wife anc
mother to take thief into his house, Without
S hearing me they condemned me. But | still
= hoped; | relied upon the nobest Of men-upor
i you
And your confidence shall not have deceived
i you, Anna. Do you know why left my home
= and wandered restless, ioyess, through strange
countries! Because | loved you, and felt tina
S YOU must be nine, and the foolish pride of IN,
d mother stepped between us. All! in my simple
II and welI-disposed life, never once suspected
, that human beings were capable of such vile
: ness. And the flood Of their Sllcness has sciz
d ed you, my noble pearl, and cast you into thi
den Of wretchedness But | hastento rescue
5 you, and happy and making happy, you shal
now become mine
J., And he listened whilst she related to hin
d how she had suffered in the dark prison
and from the threats which had been held "
= before her.
s Two letters which | wrote you, remainct
t unanswered; | did not doubt you, but suspected
Il that enemies were between US. And expected
y when came before the Judge, to find Justice
o but when saw the beade standing ready to in
d nct the dreaded punishment | confessed wha
you already know
On the same evening, after his interview Will
y Anna he called upon the most celebrated law
e yer Ct the country, and laid the case in detail
y before him. When he had heard all, he shool
his head
S The poor girl has confessed the theft; the
e sentence is legal and no appeal is left to
= higher court | would advise you to sue for
e pardon
'Nyer, never She is my botrotAcd, and
l. will not cease to strive till her innocence becomes
d as clear as the MONDAY
c The record of Annals case was procureC
" from the Judge who had sentenced her All wa
tere in the most beautiful order-the confession
and the rcnunciation Of all right of further de
lence-but not one word was said of the long
imprisonment, of the threats, of the beadIe
u whip in hand
Mrs Ritter felt pity for her son, who was nov
SO full of trouble The voice Of conscience
now spoke more loudly within her heart thar
her old pride; and she was compelled to ac
knowledge to herself that she was very guilty
:. If the maiden is really innocent she at last
promised the director, and is set free by the
: duke, | will no longer oppose Williams union
with her
A Some days after the interview with Anna, he
was at the directors. William was very fond
c of children, and he went into henursery to see
Y his little friends AS he came in, the youngest
son of the director asked his sister, who wa,
e older than himself, to tell him a story.
Do tell him one Emma, said William
with a smile; 4, too, like to hear pretty
e stories
a And the child related the following:
"NTany hundred years ago there lived in an old towr
J., a bishop, who was pious, benevolent man. The
q bishop had black raven, which he loved very much
D and the raven could talk and SAID, every morning
Good morning. my lord bishop and every evening
a he said, Good night, my lord bishop And the bisll
op had also young page, whomo beloved better thar
the polite raven; he the son Of his. best friend
: who had lost his life in battle the east The bishop
entrusted to his all his golden chains, and rings
- and precious stones. Once he commanded the page