The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1847-10-15


one, aud init and around it were gather
ed many comforts. the reward Of years Of
patient labor. the first sweet moons
OF his happy welded life bad beenspent
here his children had been born; and this
spot he had fondly believed. would lie TO
Them even in manhood, the homestea d To
which their eyes and hearts would turn.
Alas! now there hung upon only a,slender
thread the chance of its remaining in his
possession. He looked around upon the
the bright young faces that circled his
we'll filed board, happily unconscious Of
the danger with which they were threat.
ened, and his heart sank within him. He
looked into the troubled c|ountenance of
his wife, and his eyes filed with tears
A few mouthfulso of food was eaten mere
ly for appearance sake; but it passed a.
long his palate without leaving a sign of
its peculiar favor, Neyerin his life had
he felt so wretehcd. Now. clear as if lit
by a sunbeam was his own folly appar-
entto his mind. The imperative demand
which he had made on his neighbor for
damages, he saw and felt was an unjust
mand, for he and his were far more 10
blame forfhe loss Of his corn, triAing in
reality, than Peters had been. So much
for haste and passion! but consciousness
of error came too late. He had Slapped
the foundations of his own welfare, and
now the ruins were about falling upon
ibis head.
After tea Pendergast retired1o a room
apart from the family, that he might be a
lone. The presence Of his wife and chill
dren oppressed him. In half an hour bis
lawyercalled 20 see him.
Things look very dark; do they notl'
said Pendergast.
Rather. But | have Thought of a way
by which we may bring Peters TO terms.
What isitF quickly asked the client,
a light passing over his face.
The prosecutor is, of courSe only
his tool. That's all understood. He fur
nishesthe means for carrying on the suit
If he says to the prosecutor, The suit
must be abandoned, allproceedings will
of course stop.
Yes; | understand that. 1t is a mere
process of retaliation; in fact a system o
persecution 10 which this man has deter
mined to subject me.
Exactly: and there's where we've GO
him. Since The court adjourned to-day
| have found a man who is readyto swear
that he has heard Peters say, over and
over again, that he meant to ruin you, and
that he was the prime mover of the pres
emf suit, and the prosecutor only his a
gent. He says, moreover, that he cal
point 10 at least three Others who cal
swear to the same thing. In fact, tli.
man called upon me and stated this, be
cause. he said, it was a shame to see you
driven TO the wall in the malicious man
ner in which Peters was doing ii. w
must instantly have him indicted for
conspiracy TO ruin you. will see tina
the writs are served on him in the mornin!
as soon as possible, &also see his lawyer
and give him as cleara view ofhis client
position as possible in order that he ma.
have full space for reflection; and then
will make an effort to keep the matte
from the jury a day longer, by calling i
these witnesses withtheirtestimony whic
will have great weight with the court i
/ fixing low damages, 1.-The trial shoul
: proceed and the jury lind you guilty.
But | am pretty well convinced, by TIL
9 move We shall 'conguera peace iustan
= er. don't believe Peters will be vii
ing to stand a suit in which, if cast, b
runs a chance of six months or a year
o imprisonment, besides damages
Q All this did not produce much efie'
on Pendergast. The light that had fiji
a ted ovcr his countenance died away, an
J. the old dark shadow fell upon it. H
l. shook his he ad afterhis lawyer had cea
J. ed speaking, and said half sadly, yet
: a firm voice:
NO.; / have had enough Of law. BE
? ter to bear the ills we have than 10 fly
others that we know not Of | am sic
If of antagonism-sick of the court hous
sick of law. Let the worst GOMEZ if
l. will / ampassive. Twill bow my head
n the storm and stand still
" But. my dear sir
Before the lawyer could finish his SCI
IS ence another %visiter was announced, az
J. Mr.. Goodyear entered. This gentlemo
v, had been watching the progress of Il
IT lawsuit between his %neighboIs, wi
o much regret, and was panied to seeth
h the issue was likely to prove most disa
trous to Pendergast whose hasty temp,
h had involved him in a serious difficult
$. He had called in, from the kindness
e his heart, to talk over the matter wi
10 him, and see if some mode ofadjustme
t. could not be suggested before the wor
q. came to the worst. He was ready to
n all in his power as a mediator. After
few illusions had been made TO the sta
of affairs, the lawyer said
ID There is one way TO escape and on
III one, that | can see, And then he I
as marked uponthe positionin which Pete
id was placed. "A suit for conspiracy,
70 continued, would conquer a peace
s%tanter. There would be no o igl
IT; ing unless we choose, which, OF cour:
I'D we would not ifbe came to terms. B
e. my client seems apathetic on the subie
lst He is unwilling to makethis move
why 500 asked Mr.. Goodyear.
nd The lawyer looked at Penderga
-, ;no ,barabv ,ba, ha shnuld ansv