Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-04-05

IN t,G.--o1 his quarrel with her the mosuing
of her dea,h-how she wen. forth into the forest
d usuai--hoS he loaded has gun ana followed
her-how she found-in what condition.
her body ri.dled with bullets, and size incapa-
Bile of farther strife farther suffering at any
hands. Step by step, however, slowly, but WITH
Il wonderful ingenuity, the result OF long prac-
tice and daily necessities she led his incai'abie
mind onward to the Just appreciation of all the
facts in the history. 1t was evident, at the close
of a certain stage in the proceedings. that these
were finally copprehended The important DIFF
ficuty remained Of shown. him, not only his
own share in the deed, but the motive and mai
ice of 1.-THE aaorai Of the fact-how, prOroked
by his sister in the quarrel, he had prepared his
gun with buckshot, lor her Observation-Disclosures. Ill
led with this purpose, he had deliberately pursu-
ed her, nstgated by the bad. LLaek heart. had
followed her her favorite retreat in the forest,
and there completed the measure Of his evil
thoughts by shooting her through the body
We need scarcely say, that it was in approaching
this portion of her task, that the mother found
her greatest difficulty. To connect tho moral
purpose witt, deed, with which, to the ordinary
mind, it not always coupled was in the pres
ent case productive Of Il more prolonged trial Of
tho patience Of the parties. The court, howev-
er. with unhagging interest," watched the strange
dramatic spectacle. They did not seem to feel
fatigue they looked to the eyes and features
of the accused for the gradual appearance Of that
dawnng light Of consciousness which should an
nounce the entry of the new idea into his mind
Equally wild and vacant. for n time. were his
features, AS he submitted to farther examination
in which the signs were many Of them wholly
new, and significant of new suggestions--signs
some Of them, of which the woman he rsclf SEEM
ed doubtful. even while she employed them. and
which she sometimes e xchanged for others. 1t
was doubtful whether she would succeed. Tie
boy seemed rather ewdered than informed
She herself grew somewhat bewildered-and
it was only by the frequent nterpositon Of the
Judge, that she kept steadily in the track Of
that leading motive of the supposed criminal. to
which it was essential that his thoughts should
now and then, it could be seen tina, the eye of
the boy would tighten. as il under moral con-
SC iousness--and he woud nod aiIirmatively, US if
taking the suggestion that tho mother laborcd
to convey. Point after point was thus gained,
in this strange progress--and the whole nature
of the charge, slowly and painfully involved in
|
10 all, began to glimmer family upon his faculties
until as the burden Of the accusation. in ali
its hideous proportions, flashed completely upon
his soul, he uttered shrek ofterrible inteIi-
gence, which, thrilled through the whole
bly-a hideous shrek, such as belongs only to
the mute, where the voice seems to struggle with
convulsive violence against tho bonds which it
cannot break; and before his purpose could be
conjectured, he icaped from the prisoners dock
and, putting aside all obstacles, darling across
the intervening space. bounded hcadiong up the
steps which led to the be-,ch where sat the pre-
siding Judge. IL. had the part which the
latter had taken in the trial-lad noticed his
| trolling influence Of his mother, and conceived
him to be the solo arbitcr of his fate. In in
slant, he had fastened his about the neck Of
the astonished magistrate, and with convulsivc
sous the made wall Of imb-cility the tears
all the while pouring down his cheeks, he pro-
ceeded, by his rude but expressive action-wbich
no longer needed the interpretations If his moth
er--to deny that he WAS guilty-that he had ev-
er lifted his hand against his sster--to declare
that he had always loved her too we'll to give her
pain-and as for the bad, b lack hart OF which
he accused, TO fling it from him nth aversion
and horror, a guest to which he had never
! given harborage in his breast. The action was
admirably true to his purpose. No language
could have made it mere significant, 1t was the
voice Of nature in her emergency. Here was a
case in which the instincts made the actor-ena-
bling him to attain degree ofe!oguence, though
speechless, which produced emotions quito in
tense, and convictions quite satisfactory, as
any words could have done. The whole court
a..
dumb, having no arguments power full as those
which the mute himself had produced The
judge, his eyes teeming with frequent overflow.
gave the csse to the jury, in charge, which. to
those who knew his remarkable successes i'll sud-
den and passionate out bursts Of emotion, it will
not seem extravngant to say, was one of the most
noble and touching specimens Of Judicial elo-
guence that ever responded to the full and ex-
quisite sympathies Of an audience.
! We need hardly scy that the prisoner was ac-
quitted-that the Jury, without leaving their pia-
ces. found him guiltiess Of the offence-the mere
array Of circumstances, short Of absolute proof
of the crime, not beng suffered TO weigh against
that roce of the mute himself, which could only
ha We found its irresistible eioIuence in the
scious innocence Of his heart. But who was
guilty. The question to this day. remains un-
answered II is one that need not be again dis
turbed The penalties, to him whose hand per
formed the ,nurdetous action, have, no doubt,
been quite terrible any which could have
been inflicted by human law. II was very prob
ably, as we have already limited, tie involuntary
d eed of the hunter. whose heart failed in the ne
cessary courage which would have honestly de-
clared his misfortune. and hav. found in the open
avowal Of his sorrow and coBir';fon, soothing
and relief against those sings Of self reProach.
which his very silence must make rencrsefuI.
THE BAIT THAT woUID~'r GO DowN.-Messrs
Comfy, of the Dayton journal. give the follow
ing amusing sketch Of Ohio fiste rasan, ~hscin
is quite too good to be lost:
Mr.. ?. Of our city is gentieman with nothing
I'M III, 10 and nty Of tin.. 10