The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-11-27

infant INTO the arms of its nurse. without a
word. Had she been the veriest criminal
on earth, she was an object of intense pity at
that moment
The proceedings were once more resumed.
Other witnesses for the prosecution followed.
but the evidence was still vague and ;ncon-
elusive; and at length the Procureur rose to
address the court. His speech was eloouent
and emphatic; but although he clsverlv A.
vailed himself of every opportunity of bring
ing the guilt of both charges home to the pris-
oner, he was rather startling than convincing
IN his arguments. He repeatedly called up-
on her TO deny the truth of his conclusions
but ne gave her no opportunity of doing so
he hurled at her the most bitter invectives
applied to her the most opprobrious epithcts,
anu dehed her to summon single witness
to prove her innocence, or to save her from
an ignomlnious death; and finally he re.
preached her with ingrattule to family by
whose generosity she had been raised from
poverty to comfort: reminded her Of the dis
grace which she had brought. not only unon
the wretrhed old man of cirhtv-six wears Of
aye VIII" had been made through her means
a public spectacle, hut also upon the help,ess
children to whom she had given birth and
especially upon the innorcnt and ill-fatcd in
fant who had first seen light through the iron
bars of a prison.
1t was trightful piece of fclocution: nev-
'r for an instant did he appear to remember
that the wretchcd prisoner might.vct. despite
Appearances, have been wrnnrfnllv accused.
and have been victim rather than a criu;-
nal There was no leaning TO the side of
mercy. n" rc!entingno rlcam o, licht thrown
upon the darkness of the picture: and If was
evident that the miserable woman felt that
She was lost long before his terrible. words
ceased 10 'ihratc in her ears. For time
She had sat motlonlc>s. gazing upon him with
wild stare Of afrightcd wonder: but as he
rapidly heaprd circumstance on circumstance
r'rapItulatcd the gossip of the villagers. and
dedured from the most apparently unimpor-
tant facts. the most conlemnatorv conclusions,
she gradually sank lower and lower upon her
seat, until she appeared no longer able to
sustain herself: and when a deep and thrill
ing silence succeeded TO the speech of the
public accn>cr, her choking sobs were dis
tinrtly audible
Ihe t'rocurrur was right: the Witnesses
tor the defence We're unable to prove her in
nocencc of the crime imputed to her; but
they one and all bore evidence to tbc ;rr.-
proachablllty of her character: TO her n;etv
her industry, her nc.hborly hclpfulnes<, and
her charity, both of word and deed They
showed. moreover, that she had borne with
patience and submission the tyranny of her
husbands aunt. the violence of that hpshand
himself and that she had been to her IA
fh"r-ln-aw a most devoted and affectionate
daughter.
''But." said the Procurcur to ono ot her
pan'gyrIstS. ''lt' the accused were indeed the
admirable person whom Won describe. how do
you account for her having made 50 many
enemies. and also for the general belief in
her gnlt which prevails throughout the vii
laSe ?"
lila, Monsieur :" replied the brave vonn.
peasant. as he turned hastv and svmpathiz-
ing glance toward the prisoner; "hate grows
faster than love. and lasts longer. Before
the nelshbors dreampt of Rosalie's good luck
Or rather bad luck, as it has since turned
out poor woman there was many lad in
the village that hoped to make her his wifi, ::
nut she listened to none of them. and they
cant forgive her for having married above
them"
"And vou, not having been of the number,
can afford to say good word for her. Is that
what we are to understand - ask ed the Pro-
cureur, sarcasticallv.
No. Monsieur" was the sturdy reply; "but
Loved her too well to bear malice"
A glcam of light at last But alas too
FAINT to penetrate the gloom of her prison
cell
"Stand down." said the President: and the
heroic young man obeved And this wos he
ro'sm; for he had boldly avowed his affection
tor one who had appeared to be abandoned
by every other human bcinc-her adopted
father had abandoned her in the unconscious
ness of second childhood infant in tho
terror of helplessness-her friends from the
dread OF shame-she stood alone. until that
humble but upright man braved the worlds
wItherlns scorn, and dared the contemptuous
laughter of his fellows to silence one tbrob Of
her bursting heart
lhe last witness had been heard, and the
counsel rose for the defence. He. no Doubt
'eit that he had undertaken not ONLY diff
cult but an Onerous task, for at the COM
mencement of his speech he was visiblv anit-
af'd; he perpetually repeated himself: and.
instead OF plunging boldly into the heart of
his subject, and at once graphing with the
charges brought against his client, he dwelt
upon her youth, on the agony of mind and
body which she had undergone for so MANY
months, and on the misery which she must
have endured when she gave birth to he- last
infant IN disgrace and tears. Suddenly, how