The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1855-12-20
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THE JUDGES DAUGHTER.

IL was uark nlSnt a winter night !!
a night when the winds were abroad,
with snow, and all the fury Of a tempest
Here and there along the streets, the
glmmer of light might be seen. 1t
was before tho days of gas, and the oil
lamps were mostly blown out by a mod
crate breeze. Sometimes pedestrian
could be deserted staggering along gath
ering bis cloak around him at every
fourth step, and turning his back as
often to the storm that threatened to
strip him.
Long before midnight every street in
the city was silent aud deserted, and
the few lights left might as we'll have
gone out with their fellows, since they
served ne good purpose to any mortal.
Not even thief " uld venture out on
such night, or expose his precious
body to such storm.
In the old courtroom of the Oyer
and Termincr = scene was presented on
hat nigh, which at this day is somewhat
unusual.
The court had been in session since
ten in the forenoon, having taken re.
cess for dinner and another for supper
1t was now ten o'clock, and, the court
and jury were alike exhausted; bu,
they had agreed to finish the case on
trial that night, and the jury were lis
tcning to the summing up on the part
Of the people by the District Attorney
who was calmly aud dispassionately lay
ing before them the evidence, and, with
tremu!ous force, urging on them the
propricty of verdict against the pris-
oner. -.:.. rf'
The judge was stranger to that
bench. He was from country circuit,
appointed to relieve the press Of city
business, and he had worked steadily
for four weeks Of the term, which was
now approaching its close, and had dis
posed Of an immense amouat Of work.
He had won the respect of the bar by
his dgnfed and urbane bearing, his
clear aud lucid opinions and decisions,
his kindness to younger members of the
profession, and his steadfast attention tc
the work before him. But off from the
bench no one saw him. From the mo-
ment that he left the court room be dis.
appeared His carriage blinds were al
ways closed, and he drove directly to
his hotel, where he kept his rooms, ant
did not appear until to return to the
courtroom.
1t was said that he was man of grca
wealth, Of elegant tastes, of refued anc
Luxurious habits of life. Men wondered
why he submitted to the drudgery o
the bench-to the hard labor which
Judge must do.
He did not need the salary: that wa
evident from bis style Of living at hom
and in the city. He did not need tb,
position or reputation it gave him tha
he enjoyed while at the bar and in Con
gress, when to be in Congress was al
honor. He did not do it from love o
lit that no one who knew him woult
suspect; for, while hc was prompt auc
faithful to attend to his duties, he aeve
went ono step farther, and in all his de
cisions was exceedingly careful not t
waste time or words, or to travel out o
the record, as is the fashion with on
Judges now, who seek arguments in Kar
mack and old Thebes to decide real .cs
tate questions in Rockland county.
Why he retained his judgesbip, there
fore, remained a subject Of conjecture
and perhaps the most reasonable sug
gestion was that he did SO for employ
ment of mind, and to keep himself frou
painful thought. If so, it was goo'
plan. Nothing could more effcctuall.
. drive away all painful recollsctions thai
steady devotion to the business Of q cir
cult Judge, provided he could once ge
. the victory for the labor over the mem
ories. If painful memory kept biz
: from business il would be Of no avail
bnt let him opce foroet the mast in th