The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-09-11
" Gou-assu ottr Rat(ne Aasru.''


for the mean, pitiful wretch, who
could thus tramplc 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 liccn.
tiousness, or selfish Indifference, it
matters not; he is too vile thing to
be judged by such laws as govern
men. Let us ask the witncss---sho
who stands before US with the frank,
fearless brow of q true-hearted woman
---let US ask which of these two has
been to her father"
Turning to the lady, in tone
whose sweetness was in strange con,
trast with the scornful accent which
had just characterized his words, he
besought her to relate briefly the re-
collections of her early life. A slight
flush passed over her proud and beau
tiful face as she rcplied:,-.-
"My first rccollcctions are of a
small, ill-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 follow,
ing one. Save that wcarisomc visit
to her employers and her regular at,
tendance at church, she never left the
house. She often spoke of my faith.
er. and Of the anticipated return, but
at length she ceased to mention him,
though | observed she used to weep
more frequently than ever. l then
thought she wept because VIC were
poor, for it sometimes happened that
our support was only bit Of dry
bread; and she was accustomed to see
by the light of the chips which she
kindled TO warm her furnishing chill
dren, because she could not purchase
candle without depriving us of our
morning meal. Such was cur power.
ty when my mother contracted a sec
ond marriage, and the change to us
was like sudden entrance into Para,
IisezS'S' e IL a. Ssa.
She pauscd.'
"Would you excite my own child
against mc?" cried the plaintiff as he
impaticntly waved his hand for hor
to be silent.
The eyes of the witness flashed fire
as he spoke.
"You are not my father" exclaim-
ed she vchcmcntly. "What, call you
my fathcr---you who SO basely left
your wife to toll and your children TO
bcggary? Never! never! Behold
there, my father" pointing to the
agitatcd defendant; "thcrc is the man
who watched over my iniancy---who
was the sharcr Of my childish sports
and the guardian Of my inexperienced
youth. There is the man who claims
my affection and shares my home;
there is my father. For yondcr sell
fish wretch, | know him not. The
best years Of his life have been spent
i'll lawless freedom from social ties;
let him seek elsewhere for the com,
Tanion of his dccrcpitudc, nor dare
insult the ashes Of my mother by
cl";ming the duties Of kindred from
h deserted Children"
She drew her veil hastily around
her as she spoke, and moved as if to
withdraw.
"Gcntlcmcn," said Burr, e. have
no more to say. The words Of the
law arc expressed in the book before
you the words Of truth you have heard
from the wornan's pure lips; it is for
you to decide according to the re.
quisl,ions Of nature and the dccrecs
Of justice"
need not say that onr decision
was in favor of the defendant, and
the plaintiff went forth followed by
the contempt Of every honorable per.
son who was present at the trial.