Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-03-29

Sfrengthehed her voice, ,and unloosened her tongu
Thenceforth she spoke freely, and her evidence
against the prisoner was, if it could be believed,
perfectly conclusive of guilt She positively de-
MED having sent the girl to work in the out
house, and swore to having found tinder-box
and matches concealed in Miriam bed after the
discovery of the fire, as also some of the matches
(Which she recognized from being of different
wood to that generally employed for that pur-
pose) BY the heap of straw which had been used
to set the closet and bedstead on fire.
She said all this in fippant, malicious man
ner, every now and then casting her eyes fur
lively upon me, but receiving reinsurance by
seeing bow completely Iappeared to be absorbed
While she was speaking, a note was handed over
to me by oneof the senior counsel, who had been
watching her atteutively. 1t ran thus - am
not quite sure--but believe this woman was
tried five-and-thrty years since at Liverpool, for
aiding in the forgery of check. Her accom-
plice was cousin, a sort of clerk in some office !:
but they were acquitted in consequence of an
error in the indictment. recognized her by
that mark upon her right cheek and temple,
which she was suspected of receiving upon the
occasion of some disreputable quarrel, and by
that singular pronunciation but her name then
was Martha Steele
turned round and handed this to the attor-
ney, and in a few seconds the man who had writ
ten it came round and spoke to me. When |
next turned towards the witness box, saw her
displaying an old pocket book of her husbadd S,
which, she said had been found among the ar
tlcles in Miriam's box, and which had been miss
cd for some days. 1t was an old book, with
green sha-grccn cover, and as glanced at it
saw in silver studded nails the initials e. S. up
on it. | resumed my seat carelessly, looking at
her with the utmost indifference could assume
| hoped to throw her off her guard and all un-
consciously Mr.. Ashley played into my hands
most admirably.
AT last the examination chief was conclud-
ed, and rose as Mrs Sharpe was hastily quit
ting the box. Stop said, lmust have a
little conversation with you now
| cast one look at the prisoner. The misery
of her face gave me new courage, and mental
ly prayed for help to bring the truth to light
At first put u few unimportant questions, and
then said You lived with your late brother
master I mean--twelve years, OR thereabouts
did you not q
Her face became livid white, and she mutter
ed some ndistinct reply. Whether wisely don'
or not, felt that had now thrown off the masl
and must be prepared to make the most of ever,
word, or eaven Of feature.
why do you not answer me 2 said, starn
Ily.
Another muttered sentence.
Speak louder, said tire judge.
Yes, replied the woman.
What did you do from the time of your
trial for forgery at Liverpool in l8- till your
appearance in Worcester as the late Mr.. Steele's
housekeeper! I!
She gazed helplesSly at me.
Answer, me, woman.
Il was living in different places ! cannot
exactly say where, now.'
'Wero you not married in the name Of
Sharpe =
Yes
How long previously had You ceased to beal
your own name OF Steolep
A frightened glance was all her answer.
Well, never mind it was somewhere abou
the time that unpleasant business of the embez
element Of Mr.. Pearson's Office occurred. Yor
were housckeeper, then, think. After that
would of course be dsagreeable to bear the sam
name; and you did wisely to get rid of it a
soon as you could, and suppose your cousin
was Of the same opinion
Her face worked convulsively as went OF
thus coolly, but she said nothing. This rathe
perplexed me l had depended on discovern
something from her own incautious replies, an
her wary cunning bafled me. At last | wa
obliged to let her go down without having pro
duced any stronger effect than Of destroying he
credit with the jury.
Another witness, for whom we were not pre-
pared, now came forward and deposed that o
the very day Of the fire, Miriam went to he
house, and purchased 'bolting of straw an
a large bundle of matches, all of which she dc
clarcd was for her mistress, but portions c
which, as it turned out had been found in tn
burning room All my tact failed in shakin
her testimony it was evidently true; and sh
also proved herself having delivered the straw
which she took up stairs by Miriam's direction
and nut under the bed in her room. She aske
for what purpose it was wanted, and was tol
I that Mrs. Sharpe was about to make some ne
mattresses 'unbeknown to her husband, al
IS therefore desired that it should be hidden o.
t of his way. The girl, the said, was crying, al
l. upon being asked why she did SO, said she wis
o cd she was dead, drowned, burnt, poisoned,
t. anything.
" This closed the case for tho prosecution al
ID could sec that, although the jury had been d
ID satisfied with some of the evidence, yet this lf
testimony had decided them against u.s. Th'
IN faces wore the hard resolute expressions Of m
i'd who have made up their minds to punishmel
s. Oh, the agony of that poor girl, as she saw
to too
t, sIwould not run the risk of calling Geor
10 Sharpe whispered Mr.. Paget; the jury 4
" dead against us, and hejudge too, think; a
if he does you no good, as | fear he will not,
l will ruin the case wholly--you had better tr'
ed to YOURSELF But I dared not one more 10
if at that beseeching face, and the impulse to 0
m Sharpe came 50 strongly upon me that ga
T. way to it, Very few, but as prompt as cou
;,na,r,o or nj thor were tho words I addressed