Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-06-13

was afraid TO say no. lest might not
be employed. In this strait resort
ed to evasion. which ] would have
Stunned under almost any other cir
cumstances.
"what interest have you in the is
sue?" l inquired.
"Enough." he replied, "to neglect
my business and lose my tine for her
sake. but not enough to become surety
for her lawyers iee."
took few moments 70 consider
whether il were better, for the sake Of
justice and an old woman. TO devote
my time and talents TO a cause that
promised no imm sdiate remuneration;
and fear. had Il not been for the
hope Of incidental advantage, should
have come to a negative conclusion.
The reader must not think too Sc
verely Of me because OF the motive
here confessed; and win not, l am
sure when informed Of the circumstan-
ces. These incidents transpired near
ly sixty years ago. when the north
boundary Of the city. except the Out
Ward. was the Palisades. which trar-
ersed the island through the Park. At
lhst time the wealthy people Of Peal
street, in which / had my Office. sl-
ways rode when they visited their
friends in the country, on the hill near
the crossing Of Worth street and
Broadway. To BiooIlingdsle. where
The justice resided. was more than Eve
times as far. aud, as | would be OBJ
liged to travel that distance on foot il
| engaged my services. hence the hes
ilalion. =
III.
All the important facts in any way
connected with the domestic history
OF the litigants, as developed on the
trial and cleaned from other sources,
may be condensed In a few para
graphs.
Hannah Hartwell. the complainant.
was born In Hsverhill. Massachusetts,.
She was the belle and beauty Of the
village. without rival. Among
her attractions, which we're neither
small nor few. was the handsome leg
acy Of a widowed aunt. whose idol and
namesake she had been from the day
Of her birth.
Nothing occurred 10 interrupt the
even tenor Of Haunah's life. until she
entered upon her twentieth year. That
summer. John Steel. young Euglish-
man. Of handsome face and polished
manners. Unexpectedly appeared In
the village. and for brief space.
reigued the undisputed lord Of FASH
ion.
To fall In love with the gay gallant,
as he was not unfrequently termed by
some Of the more thoughtful matrons.
was the least Of Hannah's intentions.
But Steel Was shrewd and wary. and
by no means insensible 10 her various
charms. chief amt ng which. in his Sc
cret estimation. was her aunt's legacy.
Immsdis iely he beseiged the citadel
W aica ied held out biavely against
other advances. and being skilled in
the arts of love. soon effected a Iodg-
ment in her affections.
Having wed against the influences
Of her best friends. Hannah was not
hard to persuade, after the lapse Of the
hoaeymoon. 10 dispose Of her proper
ty. and allow her husband, in whom
she had the utmost confidence. 10 In
vest the proceeds In the purchase ol
real estate. on the island ofManhaitan
B n 10 her surprise and modification
she soon discovered. that by the con.
version, she had lost all control OF her
legrcy.
Concealing her disappointment as
well as she could. she took an affec-
,ionate farewell Of her friends. and fol-
lowed her husband to the new home
which he had provided. And from that
day forth. his words. when spoken 70
her, were vinegar mingled with gall,
and sometimes acc 5mpanied by blows.
which be called chastisement.
In the course OF time. but not fol
several years after her marriage. she
became a mother. Had this event
happened sooner. he might have been
different man. But now. his habits
were old and settled. Besides. disap'
pointed that the child was not son,
his evil disposition expanded fearfully,
and the savage course he had previ'
ously pursued. was the turtles tender
ness compared With that which sue
ceeded.
Poor. innocent. angel woman! wha,
did she not suffer for that unfeelinc
tvrantl She had enriched him will
her money. and never complained o
his per6dious trickery: had forsaker
her early friends and girlish baunts
and followed him 10 another colony
had watched over his interests ant
strove in every way to give him pleas
ure and. more than. that bad reared hi