The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1857-11-07

oNos sang, little brook rlppled costly
bp the way-side, winds played gently with
the flowers, and kissed the rain-drops
from their faces. But all this loveliness
passed unheeded by human hearts, be-
cause they had at the moment no inward
beauty to harmonic with Nature. Per.
haps the familiar landscape seemed quite
otherwise to the poor horse, than it would
have done, had he travelled along those
pleasant paths guided by wise and gen.
tie hand.
Had Joseph continued to be little Joe,
his eager welcome and loving prattle
might soon have tanned the evil spirit in
his fathers soul that night But he was
a tall lad, who had learned to double up
his fists, and tell other boys they had
better let him alone, if they knew what
was good for themselves. lie still loved
his father better than anything else in the
world, but the charm and the power of
infancy was gone. He reflected back the
vexed spirit like a too faithful mirror.
He was no longer transparent, uncon-
scious medium for the influence of an
gels.
Indeed, paternal affection gradually
became hardening rather than soften
ing influence. Ambition for his son in
creased the love of accumulation and
the qualification of this propensity, mar
rowed his sympathies more and more
Joseph had within him the unexpanded
germs of some noble qualities but he
inherited his fathers passionate tempera-
L.:
the education of such circumstances as I
have described turned his energies and
feelings into wrong channels. The re-
mark, at isn't his horse what business
is it to hsm9" heard in his boyhood, ex-
pressed the views and habits Of his later
years. But this mental growth, such as
it was, pleased his father, who often said
exultingly, "there is no danger of Joe.
lie knows how to fight his way through
the world"
Such was their mutual product of char.
acter, when Mr.. Barker was summoned
to jury, in case involving death. He
was vexed to be called away from his en-
pigments, and had never reflected at all
upon the fearful responsibility of jury
man. James Lloyd, the prisoner, was q
very young man, and his open, honest
countenancc gave no indication of ca
pacity for crime but he was accused of
murder, and circums.antial evidence was
strong against him. 1t was proved that
previous quarrel had existed between
him and the murdered man, and that
they had been seen to take the same road.
the prisoner In a state of intoxication,
the night the violent deed was commit
ted. Most people thought there was no
doubt of his guilt; others deemed the
case by no means certain. Two of the
jury were reluctant to convict him, and
wished to find the evidence insufficient;
the penalty was SO dreadful, and their
feelings were so much touched by the
settled gaze Of his youthful countenance,
Others talked sternly of justice, and ur-
ged that the scriptures demanded blood
for blood.
Of this number was Peter Barker.
From the beginning he was against the
prisoner. The lawyer who pleaded for
him had once been employed in a law
suit against Mr.. Barker, and gained the
cause for his client. The iuryman cher
shed grudge against him for mis- sarcas-
tic eloquence on that occasion. Moreo-
YER, it SO happened that ncghbor Good
win, who years ago reproved his severity
TO the horsh, took compassionate interest
in the accused. He often consulted with
his lawyer, and seemed to watch the
countenanees of the jury anxiously. 1t
was a busy season of the year, and the
jury were impatient to be at their work.
shops and their farms. Mr. Barker would
not have admitted it, even to himself, but
these circumstances helped to increase
his hardness against he prisoner. By
such ineonceivably slight motives is the
conduct of men often swayed on most
important occasions
off the poor young fellow really did
commit the act, said one of the Jury, "it
seems likely he did it in state of intox-
ication. | was once drunk myself: and
they told me afterwards that | had quar-
relied with man and knocked him down
a fight of steps; but l had no reeolec-
tion of it. If had killed him and they
had hung me for it, " hat an awful thing
it would have been for my poor father
and mother. 1t taught me lesson, for
! never again was intoxicated Perhaps
this poor youth might profit by his dread
full experience, if chance were allowed
him. He is SO young; and there is no
thing bad in his countenance
"As for his womanly face" replied Mr..
barker, 'there is no trusting to that. The
worst villains are not always the worst
looking. As for his being intoxicated.
. there is no telling whether it is true or
not. That cunning lawyer may have
made up the story for the sake of excl
ting compassion, and the witnesses may
be more than willing enough to believe
everything strange in the prisoners con-
duct was the result Of intoxica.ion -
Moreover, it wouldn't do to admit that
plea in extenuation; for then, don't YOU
see, man who wishes to kill his en-
emy has only to get drunk in the first
place? If anybody killed my Joe, drunk
or no drunk, | should want him to swing
for it,
BY such remarks, urged in his vehe-
ment way, he swayed minds more timid
and lenient than his own, without being
fully aware of what he was doing. lie
was foreman Of the jury ; and when the
awful moment arrived on which depend
ed the life of a fellow being, he pro-
nounced the word guilty" in a strong.
firm voice. The next instant his eye fell
on the prisoner, standing there 80 pale,
and still looking at him with such
fixed despair. There was something in
the face that moved him strongly. He
turned quickly away, but the vision wa.