Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-12-20


he husband and wife and an unwonted ex- ii
PRESTON of kindness and compassion real or sti- Ia
nulated, set upon Thorndykes features every
line he approached the dying woman. 81
The sands of life ebbed swiftly with Mrs S
Thorndyke. EMBODIED in the gentle but deadly K
embrace with which consumption seizes Its VIC P
Tins, she wasted rapidly away and, most per-
plexing symptom of all, violent readings and
nausea, especially after taking her medicine
which according to Davis, the village surgeon
was invariably Of "a sndntwe charactor--aggFa- I
yated and confirmed the fatal disease which was
hurrying her 10 the tomb.
Not once during this last illness could Mary
Woodcy, by chance or stratogem, obtain mo-
'ment's private interview with her mother until a
few minutes before her docease. Until then,
under one pretonce or another either Elizabeth
Warcing, one of Thorflyke's daughters, or
Thorndyke himself was always present in the
sick chamber It was evening darkness had
for some time fallen: 10 light had yet been TAX
en- into the dying woman's apartment, and the
pale starlight which family iiumined the room
served as Mary Woodcy softly approached on
tiptoe to the bedside of her, as she supposed,
sleeping parent, but to deepen by defining the
shadows thrown by the full heavy hangngs and
lIlc old massive furniture. Gently, and with
beating heart, Mary Wool)ey drew back the
bed curtain nearest the wlndow. The feeble,
uncertain liaht Aickclcd upon the countenance,
distinct in its mortal palcress, OF her parent; the
ewes recognized her, and glance otlntinlte ten
derness cleaned for an instant in the rapidly
darkening or, the rigat arm essayed to lit
Itself. as for one last, last embrace. NalnIy =
Love, love only, was strong, stronger than death
in the expiring mothers heart, and the arm tel
feebly back on the belclothcs. Mary Wood
lev bent down in eager grief, for she felt instlnc
Iiyclv that the bitter hour at las was come )
their lips met, and the last accents of the mothe
murlnured, Beloved Mary, L have been tru
70 von-no will--no"- A slight tremC
= shook her frame: the spirit that looked IN lov
f from the windows of the eyes departed on il
: heavrnward Journey, and the unconscious she
e only of what had once been her mother RENAME
It in the sobbiug daughters arms.
i will not deny that this narrative, which
:. feel have but coldy and fccbly rendered. fro
d its earnest fearful tenderness, as related by M
= nv Woodbury., affected me considerably
IL s.--....-. -4s-.,1. ,ssr,.,l,ss-.-sv lAa.s =
Of surprised to hear that suspicious, grayer ev
+ than those which pointed to forgery, were evok
e by the sad history. Much musing upon the stran
it circumstances thus disclosed, and profound
1t cogitatve on the best mode of acton to be pit
lie sued, the " small hours" the first of them
l. least, surprised me in my armchair. start
up, and fastened to bed, well knowing from G
ie perience that a sleepless vigil Is a wretched pr
ut parative for morrow Of active exertion, VIII
is ther Of mind or body.
= | was betimes in court the next morning, al
I'd Mr.. Barnes, proud as peacock of figuring
sc an attorney in an important civil suit, was So
X at my side. The case had excited more inerC
s. than had Supposed and the court was We
5, early filled. Mary Woodey and her grandt
If Tier soon arrived and murmur of commissC
- alton ran through the auditory as they took thu
IS SEATS by the side of Barnes, There was sttol
or bar arraycd against us and Mr. SiIas Thor
- 'yke, noticed, was extremely busy and impC
n, tant with whs9erings and suggestions to i
&c solicitor and counsel received of course,
SO such meaningless f0miliarities usually are, wi
st barely civil Indifference.
e. Twelve common jurors were called and swo
Of well ana truly to try the issue, and arose amil
at b!ealess silence to address them lat on
ly frankly stated the circumstances uuder viii
ry the brief had come into my hands, and obscw
On ilt if, ioT lack Of advised preparation, the pla
el uils case failed on that day. another trial unt
lie HE favor Of the court above, would doubt
til not, at no distant period Of time reverse the pc
ed siJly at present uniayorabe decision. " \
mt lea ned friends on the other side" continue
I'd " smile at this qualified admission of mine;
s. them do so. lfthey apparently establish tod
fy the validity Of a will Which strips an only oh
RS OF the inheritance bequeathed by her father, til
he Will, tell them emphltically, obtain but
o. temporary triumph for person who--if
us you gentlemen of the jury, are to believe
he case intended to be set up as a bar to the p,a
to THIS claim has succeeded by the grossest b
'allty, the most atrocons devices, in bendi
.id the mind of the deceased Mrs. Thorndyke to
ld selfish purposes. My learned friend need not
a. trrupt ne; shall pursue these observati,
bat ton the present no furthor-meroly adding t
fd l. that his lordship, that you, gentlemen of
b. ja9y will require of him the strictest proc
Ee proof clear as lght-that ho- instrument W
fh which he relies to defeat the equitable, the ri!
W teous claim Of the young and amiable person
N my side, is genuine, and not as verify beIie'
n I looked, as | spoke, full in the face of Tho
~ dyke" FORGED"
~ "My lord" exclaimed the opposing coun'
va 4" this is really insuferable "
III His lordship, however, did not interpose ; {
sa | went on to relate, in the most telling man
III of which was capable, the history of the
N ceased Mrs. Thorndyke's first and second IN
" riages the harmony and happiness of the frs
WI the wrcchedness and cruelty which charact
III lied the second / narrated also the dying VIC
III of Mrs. Thorndyke to her daughter, though
M peatedy interrupted by the defendants coun!
" who manifested great Indignation that sta
u ment unsusceptibo of legal proof should be
II dressed to the court and jury. My address c
'N cluded, I put In James Woodley's will F; ant
VI the opposing counsel did not dispute its valid
Il nor require proof of Mary Woodley'5 identt
~ intimated that the plaintiffs case was closed
w The speech for the defendant was calm
w guarded. 1t threw, or rather attempted to thr
~ discredt on the deathbed fiction" got up,