Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1850-09-28

door burst Ii ill., A dense volume Of smoke
poured oti,, tilinUst sufTucnting me for :
moment, Bit fe1anihg MY breath aseehd
ed the steps to the second story. A doo
Wits visible upon my ri5ht hand rs
reached the top, and it required all ms
weight to break it i'll but wien | did st
a female form staggered fdfWard atl fell II
my arms hastily bore her down tlit
stairs, by this time covered will, cnders
from the burning ROOT, aud as | eaped from
the door ii fell in with terrible crash
showerng the sparks thicklv around nie
The person / had rescued was Mary
Fisher. aud the old man and his wife
perished III the flames. NY horse had fee
i'll alarm from the SPOT, and as tile nearest
neiglbor was four miles distant, we were
compelled to walk it on foot Day broke
by the time we tnhched the house, ant
letvhg the diseonsoate girl at her neigh
bers, | came Immediately here, but found
| was few minute too late TO lay my
accusation before You first. Such are the
facts OF the ease, although they are almost
exactly opposite TO tile statement b,
Gray. "-". faa7-ar
Clyde had delivered his story in an i'm.
pressive aud convincing ralluer, but the
Justice was puzzled which Of two he shout
believe. The advantage lay with Gray
as he had made first accusation, and the
statement Of Clyde might he only tale
invented 10 upset the evidence of his az
euser. Neither had proof, Us no one saw
the deed, and the squire Informed them
that he knew of no way to dispose Of Tile
ease inpartialy, unless he bound them
both over to the court .F a.
To this. Gray .strenuously objected Lie
had appeared and accused Clyde, he said
that the real author of the late catastrophe
might be justly punished and he thought
iiat to liid them both over would have
an effect in deterrinq others from makn4
any accusations against inaeiactors from
their own knowledge, unless they had
positive proof of their guilt He demanded
that Clyde shoule be held to bail, and not
himself. ...-..-.-
When he had flushed, Clyde once
more got up, and turning to the justice
stated as they both stood there without
witnesses. and consequently it did not lay
in his power to tell the guilty one, with
his permission and the censeut Of Mr.
Gray, he would propose d rian by which
he hoped the matter would be thoroughly
settled. It was this: ~ N
There is an Infinite Being, sir, who
rules i'll hi cher sphere than OURS, and to
whom all things are kitowii, from whom
nothing can be concealed. ! propose to
Mr. Gray that we both make an appeal to
Heaven, aud let the God of the universe
decide upon our guilt or innocence.
feel TINT |. sir. am not a inaieiactor here,
aud challenge my ncruser, in the presetce
OF this evidence, to accep, tny proposition. y
Clyde ceased speaking, and amid Al,
utter stiffness, during which he became
the centre OF all eyes, Gray also arose and
replied N,..
=" | can sec no objection to Mr.. Clyde's
offer. although | do not suppose the case
will be materially altered by it, F." said tie
Justice.
"Then let him go on, and | will follow
suit, answered Gray, brazenly.
Slowly David Clyde fell upon bended
knees, and raising his face and arms to-.
ward Heaven, uttered amid the most
death-hke silence, the following appeal:
" Etafnel Being, thou who seeth and
knoweth NIL things, and who only can tell
the guilt of us two, into thy hands | com
nit my Innocence. and |,eseech thee, Al
mighty God, if am guilty of the crime
OF which | am accused, to strike me dead
iii the midst of this. then most b,aspbe
NOUS appeal. l'I"
For full moment after he had finished.
Clyde remained upon his knees, then rose
to his feet, and with folded arms gazed
slowly around him. The countenance of
Gray had paled during the prayer of Clyde;
but as every eye was upon him. he nertted
himself to the task and also fell upDn his
knees. With loud and hurried voice.
he repeated the appea.--rnoved forward
but when lie came ttY the words, "Al.
mighty God, if am guilty of this crime
of which am accused, to strike me dead
his face became more white, and he fell
slowly forward.
The stiffness which reigned at that
awful moment was fearful Not h sound
could he heard III that room, and it seemed
as If every brt atll was hustled, SO deadly
silent did every one appear. At last. the
Iustsce, who had bent forwerd with
Mortified look to gaze upon Gray, motioned
Tor constable 10 approach, and turn over
the body lie did so, and every eye which
ooked that way, beheld the icy face of
'orpse and the litid hue of death resting
upon the corntenance Of the biasphener.
They bore forth the corpse, and buried it
ilent aud alone i'll the parire, and to this
lay the old farmers in the neigbborhood
'hudder as they recount to the passing
raveler that fatal answer Of" The Ap.
zeal to Heaven f"3 #
H. A Chinese work on Amer;c, i, ~