The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-06-18

from Mrs. Nasehy, ard as the case went
on found that Mrs. Mas, by was her mis-
tress, wealthy widow, living in town.
The poor woman declared her innocence
in the most wild terms, and called on
God to witness that she would rather die
than steal. But circumstances were hard
against her. a hundred dollars in bank
notes had been stolen from her mistres.'
room, and she was tue only one who had
access there.
At this Juncture, while the mistress was
upon the witness stand, a young man
came and caught me by the arm. lie
was fine looking fellow, and big tears
stood in his eyes.
"Ihey tell me you arc good lawyer ~
he whispered.
| am IA lawyer" answered.
"Then-O! save her! You can GER
ta'nly do it, for she is innocent"
:" Is she your siSter!'
NO, SIR" he said. But-but-"
Here he hcsitated again.
Has she no counselw | asked.
"None that's good for anything-no.
body thatll do anything for her. o, save
her, and III pay YOU all I've got. | can't
pay you much, but can raise some.
thing"
reflected for = moment. least NV
eyes towards the prisoner, and she was n,
that moment looking atme. She caught
my eye, aud the volume of humble, PRAYER.
ful en'reaty, | read in those large. fearful
orbs, resolved me IN moment. In my
soul | knew that the girl WAS innocent ::
or at least, ! firmly believed so-and per
haPs | could help her. | arose and wen,
to the girl. and asked her il she wished
mo TO defend her. She said YES. Then
| informed the court that | was ready 10
enter the case, and was admitted at once.
The loud murmur Of satisfaction which ran
through the room, quickly told me where
the sympathies Of the people were.
asked for moments cessation, that
might speak to my client. | went and
sat down by her side, and asked her to
state to me candidly the whole case. She
told me she had lived with Mrs. Nasehv
nearly two years, and tina, during all that
time she had never had any trouble be
fore. About two weeks ago, she said, her
| misiress lost a hundred dollars,
"She missed it from the drawer" the
girl tod me, and she asked me abou, it,
but knew nothing Of it. Tho next thing
| knew, Nancy Luther told Mrs. Naseby
she saw me take it from the edrawer-tbat
she watched me through the key hole
Then they went TO my trunk. and they
found twenty five dollras of the missing
money tfere. But o, sir, | never took il
-somebody else put that money there ~
lthen asked her if she suspected any
one.
IL don't know" she said, "who could
have done it but Nancy. She never liked
me, because she thought was treated
better than she was. She is the cook.
and | was the chambermaid."
She pointed Nancy Luther out to me-
She bas stout, bold faced girl, about two
and twenty, with low forehead, small
grey eyes, pug nose and thicL lips. |
caught her glance at once, rs it rested
upon the fair young prisoner, and the mo.
ment | detected the look Of hatred which
| read there, | was convinced that she
was the rogue.
"Oh, sir, can you help me I" my client
asked in a fearful whisper.
"Naney Luther, did you say that girls
name was I"
"Yes, SIR"
"ls there any other girl of that name
about this placel"
"No, sir"
Then rest easy. I'll try hard to save
you"
! left the court room, and went to the
prosecuting attorney and asked him for
the letters | had handed him the ones
that had been stolen from the mail bag.
lie gave them to me, and having selected
one, ! returned the rest, and told him that
would see that he had the one kept
before night. | then returned to the
court room and the case went on.
Mrs. Naseby resumed her testimony
She said she intrusted her room to the
prisoners care, and that no one else had
access there, but herself Then she de.
scEibcd the missing money, and closed by
telling how she had found twenty five
dollars Of il in the prisoners trunk. She
could swear it was tho Identical; money
she had lost, II being two tens and one FIVE
dollar bill.
"M's. Naseby," said I, "when you
first missed your money, had you any
reason to believe that the prisoner had
taken it r.
"No, SIR" she answered.
"iiad you eysr before detected her in
dishonesty Z"
mo, sir"
"Shouid you have thought Of search
ing her trunk had not Nancy Luther ad-
vised you and informed you !"
"No, sir"
Mrs. Naseby then left the stand, and
Nancy Luther took her place. She came
up with a bold look, and upon me she
cast defiant glance, as much as 10 say,