The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-12-04

anu SlX-pcHily WoItu " HtutCucS ioE ueI
few days before the fire. She said sh.
wanted them for particular purpose.
Don't know where she got the money, IN
less il was from tho young lawyer up lh'
street, wbo was always after her. Woult
swear that on that very night, before she
left work, Miriam said, "You'Il hear some
thing before morning as'l make you stare ;
Asked what she meant, but go, no answer
except vow to be revenged on her mis-
tross. This conversation took p!ace at tbt
garden.gate. There is an old fashonoe
lodge at the gate, open 10 the road. Peo
pie can sit and rest in it; any body there
would see all the people who came dowf
the garden walk. They could no, help see
ing.
Gross examination did very little will
this witness, except to show the bitter feel
ing with which she regarded Miriam, to e
licit the fact that the young lawyer hat
formerly been a lover Of her own, but had
deserted her for Miriam, and that her ow,
character was far from stainless.
Then came Alice Sharpe, the only wit
ness from whom had any hope; and wba
that hope was, was even to myself 81
vague and underlined an idea, that coDlt
not shape it into any practical and tangible
form With hesitaling step and furtiyt
glance Alice Sharpe now entered the box
and certainly never looked on more
cunning, ruthless, determined countena ance
than hers.
She was evidently i'll at ease, for she cas-
an anxious, apprehensiye gaze round the
court, and trembled visibly. My hopes rost
as saw this.
There was something she wished 10 con
cea', something she feared would come
out, aud knew better than she did tha
there is no place like a court Of justice L
facilitate discoveries, or to unmask lie.
IN
At last the examiuation-in-c chief was
concluded, and rose as Mrs. Sharpe wal
hastily quitting the box. "Stop" ] said :"
must have a little conversation with vol
now."
cast enc look at the prisoner. The
misery Of her face gave me now courage
and mentally prayed for help to bring the
truth to light. At first put few unim-
portant questions, aud then said, "You
| lived with your late brother-master,
| mean-lweve years CT there sbouts, dir
YOU nct?'
Her face lecams livid white, and shs
mnttered some indistinct reply. Whether
wisely done or not, ! fel, that | had nov
thrown Of the mask, aud mast be prepared
TO make the most OF every word, or even
change Of feature. s'Why do you nc, an
swer me?" said sternly.
Another muttered silence.
"Speak louder" said the judge.
| '.Yes,n replied the woman.
"What did you do from the time Of your
trial for forgery at Liverpool in IS ill
your appearance at Worcester as the late
Mr.. Steele's hnuse-keeper?"
She gazcd hopelessly at me.
"Answer me, woman."
81 was living in different places; | cam
exactly say where now"
"Were you not married in the name O
Sh1rpe?"
"Yes."
"How long previously bad sou ceased ic
bear your own name OF Steelc?''
A frightened glance was all her answer
swell, never mind; it was somewhere
about the time that unpleasant business ol
the embezzemen, in Mr.. Pearson's Office
occurel. You were housekeeper then,
think. After tha, ii would of course be
disagreeable to bear the same name; and
you did wisely to ge, rid Of it as soon as
YOU could, aud | suppose your cousin was o
the same opinion.
Her face worked convulsively us wen,
on thus cooly, but she said nothing. This
rather perplexed me; | had depended upon
discovering something from her own incau
,ious replies, and her wary cunning bafflec
me. At last | was obliged to let her down
without having produced any stronger eli
fec, than that Of destroying her credit will
the jury.
"Ano,her witness, for whom We were
not prepared, now came forward, and de
posed that on the very day Of the fire Mi
riam went TO her house, and purchased q
..bo!,ingn of straw, and large bundle o
matches, all of which she declared were
for her mistress, but portions Of which, as
il turned out, had been found in the burn
ing room. All my tact failed in shaking
her testimony; it was evidently true; and
she proved having delivered the straw
which she took up stairs by Mriam's direc'
tons and pu, under the bed in her ROOM
She asked for what purpose it was wanted,
and was told that Mrs. Sharpe was about
to make some new mattresses "unbeknown
to her husband" aud therefore desired tha,
| /, should be hidden out Of his way. The
girl, she said, wns crying, and upon being
asked why she did SO, said that her mistress
had been very cruel to her, and that she
wished herself dead, drowned, burnt o.
poisoned, or any thing.
This closed the case for prosecution
and could see that, although the jury had
been dissatisfied with some of the evidence
vel this last testimony had decided them q,
gains, US. Their faces wore the hard, res.
oIute expression Of men who have made up
their minds to punishment. Oh, the agony
Of TINT poor girl as she saw il too!
81 would not run the risk Of calling
George Sharpe" whispered Mr.. Paget:
sahe Jury are dead against us, and the judge
too, | think; and if he does you no good, as
fear he will not. he'll ruin the case wholly
YOU had better trust ia yourself" But