Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-06-14
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AnsWer-"Id do"

Answer--sI do"
Burr.-"Will you swear to that ?"
Ans.-"l will to the best of my knowl-
edge, and believe she is my daughter. /"
Burr. "Can you swear to her identity?''
Ans.-'sI CAM
Burr.-"What is her age?'' ---.
Ans.-"She 80 years old on Goth day
of April"
Burr.-"When did you last see her 20
Ans.-"At her own house, about two
weeks since" ......
Rurr.-"When did you see her previ-
vious to that meeting?" st-'... *
The plaintiff hesitated-a long pause
ensued, the question was repeated, and
the answer at length was, -
"On the l4th day of May, H."
"When she was just three weeks old"
added Burr. "Gentlemen," continued he,
turning to us, II have brought this lady
here as an important witness, and such, I
think she is. The plaintiffs counsel has
pleaded eloquen,ly in behalf OF. the berea-
we'd husband, who escaped the sea and re-
turned only to find his home desolate. But
who will picture to you the lonely wife
bending over her daily toll, devoting her
best years to the drudgery or sordid pow
erty, supported only by the hope of her
husbands return? Who will paint the
slow progress ofheart-sickening, the was
ting anguish of hope deferred; and finally,
the overwhelming agony which came upon
her when her last hope was extinguished,
and she was compelled TO believe herself
indeed widow ? Who can depict all this
without awakening in your hearts the
warmest sympathy for the deserted wife
and the interest scorn for the mean pitiful
wretch, who could thus trample on the
heart Of her whom he had sworn to love
and cherish? We need not inquire into
his motives for acting SO base part.
Whether it was love Of gain or licentious-
ness, or selfish Indifference, it matters not !;
he is too vile thing to be judged by such
laws as govern men. Let us ask the wit
ness-she who now stands before us with
the frank Peerless brow of rue-hearted
woman-let us ask which of these has
been to her father"
Turning to the lady, in tone whose
sweetness was in strange contrast with
the scorhful accent which had Just charac-
terized his words, he besought her to re-
late briefly the recollections of her early
life. A slight flush passed over her proud
and beautiful face as she replied:
My first recollections are small, i'll
furnished apartment, which my sister and
myself shared with my mother. She used
to carry out every Saturday evening the
work which had occupied her during the
week, and bring back employment for the
following one. Saving that wearisome
visit to her employers and her regular at
tendence at church, she never left the
of the anticipated return, but at length she
ceased to mention him, though observed
she used TO weep more frequently than
ever. then thought she wept because
we were poor, for it sometimes happened
that our support was only a bit Of dry
bread; and she was accustomed to see by
the light of the chips which she kindled
to warm her furnishing children, because
she could not purchase candle without
us Of our mornings meal. Such
was our poverty when my mother con-
tracted second marriage, and the change
to lis was like a sudden entrace into Par
adse. We found home and father. -
She paused.
Would you excite my own child against
me ?''-cried the plaintiff as he impatient
" waved his hand for her to be silent.
The eyes of the witness flashed FIRE as
he spoke.
"You are not my father" exclaimed she
vehemen,ly, "what! call you my father
you who basely left your wife to toll and
your children beggars? Never! never?
Behold, their my father" pointing to the
agitated defendant, ''there is the man who
watched over my infancy was the
sharer Of my childish sports and the guar
dian of my inexperienced youth. There
is the man who claims my affection and
shares my home there is my father. For
wonder selfish wretch know him not
The best years of his life has been spent
in lawless freedom from socialities let
him seek elsewhere for the companion Of
his decrepitude, nor dare insult the ashes
of my mother by claiming the duties of
kindred from her deserted children
She drew her veil hastily around her as
she spoke and moved as if to withdraw.
"Gen,lemen," said Burr, II have no
more to say. The words of the law are
expressed in the book before you; the
words of truth you have heard from wo-
mans pure lips ; it is for you 10 decide &C,
cording to the requisition Of nature and
of Justice
lneed not say that our decision was in ia
vor of the defendant, andth plaintiff went
forth followed by the contempt Of every
honorable person who was present at the
trial.
Jous's SHARE.-'Dad,' said hopeful
sprg, 'how many fowls are there on the
table p
why said the old gentleman, as he
looked complacently on pair OF timely
roasted chickens, that were smoking on
the dinner table. why, my son there are
two
'Two!' replied the smar'ness,' there
are three sir, and I'll prove it,
.Three!' replied the old gentleman, who
was plain, matter of-fact man, and un,
derstood things as we saw them: ia