The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-11-27
nNn1 ,.,.Il ~. VI u prn.ilrnt :"

tNpI GIIl y. VI. !c lrc>ltl"IN.
The effect of the verdict was electrical.
I, appeared As thorgh.like mv>clfnine trnthS
Of tn" arlir,-v had believed that there cAi>t-
cl no hope ,r the a 'c,l>cl; and while a JOY
crs whisper arose on all -ilc> remark al
that the rrocurrur. who had so earnestly
srivc, tn secure the condemnation o, the
prisoner. turned 4 conyraulatorv smile upon
her al,oratr. whose anxiety had rendered
him pale As marble: but this circumstance
was soon forgotten in wha, followed
"Gcnllcncn ofthe jury" said the Prcsi-
dent. III is my duty to compliment Won upon
Your verdict; Won have ably and honorahlv
fulfilled the trust reposed in yon. There can
he no doubt in any honest mind. that Won
have come to a true and inst decision. At the
commencement. ofsny legal career. when
was vet mere youth, the Interests OF my
cmplovcr compelled me to reside. during
several weeks. in the hamlet of which the ar-
cusrd was native. have never forgotten
i never shall forget-what ! witnessed IN
That obscure village 1t is enough for me- to
assure YOU that throughout the whole Of my
attrr-cxpcriencc. ! was never forced into
contact with so utterly worthless set of in
diyiIual>: jealousy, Slandrr. aud falSchood
we're the ailments upon which thcv appeared
Al I,
the accused. whose reputation Won have re-
stored bv most r .htcou< verdict was pure
of her person and that by her character, she
had raised herself from low station to one Of
comparative affluence. for every mouth to be
orened against her. Gentlemen Of the jury.
once more say, that congratulate You
and that believe the accused to be innocent
ofthc crimes imputed to her as either YOU or
T."
I.could scarce1 trust my senses as listen
ed and remembered that this very man. only
few hours previously, had branded the Prlso-
nor AZ wretch so sunk in vice as to be ''ra-
rabe of anything :" but could detect no
similar surprise'on any rountenance about me"
1t did not appear to strike his listeners
that he had, at the commencement of the trial
cruelty exceeded his own privilege. There
was no mnrmur Of Indignation, no evidence
of disgust: but. on the contrary. an approving
smile bcamcd on him from every side, as if in
reromnrnsc Of his tarlv franknnSs.
was still lost in wonder. when his voice
again sounded through til" hall
bring in the prisoner
In another moment she once more occupied
her frighttinl station; and then the grcncr
announced to her. in the same montonOus tone
as that in which he had read her accusation.
the verdict BY which she stood acquitted.
In an instant, the purple flush faded from
her cheeks. and she became as white as a
corpse. She swept her hands across her
forehead. gave one long stare about her. and
then. With Shrek which rang through tho
court rather like the CRY of wild animal
than the uttcrancc Of human lips. she made
spring towards the door. nearly overseeing
the gcndarmcs by whom it was guarded, and
disappeared.
All was over. The officials collected their
papers: the couns" threw off their cnwrS;
tn" crowd dispcr>cd: and reclaimed nv
home. frrventlv thanking God that it was not
thus that Justice was administered in my own
happy country.