Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1855-08-18
AN OLD MANS STORY.
THE REFEREE CASE.

, ne Outilne OF Inc 1OllOWlng Sketch was re
lated to me by an aged and honored member O
a large family comnexion; a man who possesse
an al most inexhaustbe fund of legendary lore
and whose most interesting anecdotes and MOS
comic tales are but recollections of past scenes
OF which he can say, in the language of Eneas
quorum magma pars tu.
Many years ago. said Mr. E-,I hap
pened to be one of the referees in case whcl
excited unusual interest in our courts, from tht
singular nature of the claim, and the strang,
story which it disclosed.
The plaintiff, who was captain of mer.
chant ship which traded principally with Eng
land and the West Indies, had married quite
early in life, with every prospect of happiness
His wife was said to have been extremely
beautiful, and no less lovely in character.
After living with her in the most uninte--
rupted harmony for five years. during which
time two daughters were added to his family
he suddenly resolved to resume his occupation
which he had relinquished on his marriage, and
when his youngest child was but three weeks
old sailed once more for the West Indies.
| His wife was devotedy attached to him, sor.
rowed deeply at his absence, and found her on.
ly comfort in the society Of her children and
the hope Of his return. But month after
month mournfully passed away, and he came
not, nor did any letters, those insufficient but
welcome substitutes, arrive to cheer her soil.
! tude.
Months heightened into years, yet no tid-
| ings were received of the absent husband; and
| after long hoping against hope, the unhappy
wife was compelled to believe that he had
found grave beneath the welterng ocean.
Her sorrow was deep and heartfelt, but the
| evils of poverty were now added to her afflic~
! ton, and the widow found herself obliged to
| resort to some employment, in order to sup
port her helpless children. Her needle was
| her only resource, and for ten years she labor
ed early and late for the miserable pttance
which is ever grudgingly bestowed on the hum.
| BILE seamstress.
"A merchant of New York, in moderate but
prosperng circumstances, accidentally became
| acquainted with her, and pleased with her gen.
tie manners no less than her extfeme beauty,
endeavored to improve their acquaintance with
friendship
AFTER some months he offered her his hand,
and was accepted As the wife of a success.
full merchant, she soon found herself in the en-.
joyment Of comforts and luxuries, such as she
had never before possessed. Her children be-
came his children, and received from him every
advantage that wealth and affection could pro>
cure. ,
''Fiteen years passed away; the daughters
married, and by their step>father were furnish.
ed with every comfort requisite in their new
avocation Of housekeepers. But they had
scarcely quilted his roof, when their mother
was taken i'll.
She died after few days sickness, and from
that time until the period of which l speak, the
widower had resided with the youngest daugh.
ter.
Now comes the strangest part of the story
After an absence of thirty years, during which
time no tidings had been received from him,
the first husband returned as suddenly as he
had departed. He had changed his ship, adop.
ted another name, and spent the whole of that
long period Of time on the ocean, with only
transient visits on shore, while taking in or
discharging cargo; having been careful also,
never to come nearer home than New Orleans.
why he had acted in this objectionable
manner towards his family, no one could tell,
and he obstinately refused all explanation
There were strange rumors of slave. trading
and piracy afoat, but they were only whispers
of conjecture rather than truth.
Whatever might have been his motive for
such conduct, he was certainly anything but in.
different to his family concerns when he re-
turned.
He raved like a madman when informed of
his wife's second marriage and subsequent
death, vowing vengeance upon his successor,
and terrifying his daughters by the most awful
threats, in case they refused to acknowledge
his claims.
He had returned wealthy, and one of those
mean reptiles of The law, who>are to- be found
crawling about the halls of justic0, advised
him to bring a suit against the second husband,
assuring him that he could recover heavy dam.
ages. The absurdty Of instituting claim for
a wife, whom death had already released from
the jurisdiction of earthly laws was 90 manifest
lha. it was at length agreed by all parties to
leave the matter to be adjudged by Eve re.
ferees.
1T was on bright and beautiful afternoon
in spring, that we first met to hear the singular
case. The sunlight streamed through the dus.
ty windows of the courtsroom, and shed
halo around the long grey locks and broad
forehead Of the defendant; while the plaintiffs
harsh features were thrown into still bolder
relief, by the same beam which softened the
placid countenance of his adversary.
The PLAINTIFF lawyer made most eloquent
appeared for his client, and had we not been
better informed about the matter, our hearts
would nave been melted by his touching des>
cription of the return of the desoate husband,
and the agony with which he now bebeld his
household gods removed to consecrate stran.
gers hearth.
The celebrated Aaron Burr was counsel for
the defendant, and we anticipated FROM him a
splendid display of oratory. had never be-
fore seen him, and shall certainly never forget
my surprise at his appearance.
'Small.in person but remarkably well form
ed, with an eye as quick and brilliant as an
eagles, and brow fnrrowed by care far more
than time, he seemed very different being
from the arch traitor and murderer had been
to consider him. His voice was
ono Of the finest ever heard, and the skill with
which he modulatsd it, the variety Of its tones,
and the melody Of it's cadences, where iniwita-
Ria -