Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-09-22

int CouiteudLCe Oh tle jury dnAlOuSIy. Ii
was busy season of the year, and the
jury were anxious to be at their work
shops and farms. Mr.. Barker would not
have admitted il, even to himself, but all
these circumstances helped to increase
has hardness against the prisoner. BY
such InconCeivabie slight motives is the
conduct OF men often swayed on most Inn
postant occasions.
''lf the poor young fellow really did
commit the act, sand one of the jury, SIT
seems likely than he did it in state of IN
toXIcauon. / was once drunk myself, and
they told me afterwards that | quarreled
with man and Knocked him down a high
flight of steps; but | had no recollection
of it. If had killed him, ard they had
hung me for it, what an awful thing it
would have been for my poor father and
mother. II taught me a lesson, for | was
never again intoxicated. Perhaps this
poor youth might profit Toy his dreadful
experience, II chance were allowed
hl1. lie 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 locking. As for his being intoxi-
Gated, there is no telling whether it is
true or not. That cunning lawyer may
have made up the story for the sake OF
exciting compassion, aud the Witnesses
may be more than willing enough to be-
heye everything strange in the prisoners
conduct was the result of iu,oEicatiOu. -
Moreover, it won't do to admit that plea
N eEtenuation; for then, don't you see,
Il man who wants TO kill his enemy has
only to get drunk in the first place Ii
anybody killed NY Joe, drunk or not
drunk, l should want him to swing for it."
BY such remarks, urged in his vehe-
meut way, he sWayed minds more timld
and lenient than his own, without being
fully aware Of what he was doing. He
was foreman of the jury, and when the
awful moment arrived on which depended
the life of a human being, he pronounced
the word "GUILrY," in a strong, firm
voice. The next instant his eye fell on
the prisoner, standing there so 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 was before him, al
ways, everywhere before him. ''This
is Weakness" be said to himself" | have
merely done my duty" But still the pale
young face looked at him, always, and
everywhere ii looked at him.
lie feared to 10 touch a newspaper, for
he wished not TO know when the day Of
execution wo'd arrive. Bur oficious neigh
bors, ignorant Of his state Of mind were
eager to talk upon the subject; and when
he was drawn into such scouGses, he
sfrove TO fortify his own feelings by dwell
ling upon all the worst features of the
case. Notwithstanding all his efforts, the
night preceding the execution he had
troubled dreams, in which that ghastly
young face was always conspicuous. When
he woke, he saw It in The air; it walked
beside him as he pIowed the fields; il
stood before him on the threshold of his
own door. All that the merciful iuryman
had suggested came before HIM with pain
ful distInctness. Could there be any doubt
that the condemned had really committed
the murder? Was he intoxicatCd2 2 Might
he have happened to bc intoxicated for
the first time in his life! And he so
young. But he drove these thoughts
away, saying over to himself: The law
required I'll merely did my duty" -
Sill everything looked gloomy to him !;
The evening clouds seemed like funeral
pals, and pale, dcspairing face gazed
at him forever.
For the first time in his manhood, he
craved a companion in the darkness. -
NeighbOrs came in and described the eX-
ecution; and while they talked, the agit-
atcd juryInau beat the lirebrands into a
thousand pieces, and never spoke a word.
They told how the youth had written a
letter to his mother, and had died calm
and resigned. "By the way, perhaps,
you know his mother, Mr.. Barker" said
one; "Jhey tell me, she used to live in
lhis neighborhood. Do you remember a
girl by the name of Mary WIIIIams!"
The tongs dropped from Mr.. Barker 5
hand as he gasped out, MARY Williams
Was he HER SOM God forgive me: -
And then the strong man laid his head
upon the table, and wept
There was silence IN the room. Al
last the loquacious ueighbor said. in a sub
dued tone, Il am sorry, hurt your feel
ings. | didn't know she WAS a friend of
yours.
The troubled iuryman rose hastily,
walked to the window, looked out to the
stars, and clearing his choked voice, said,
"It Is many years since knew her. But
She was a good tempered, pretty girl ;
and it seems but yesterday that we used
TO go together to pick our baskets full of
berries; and 50 she was his mother. |
remember now there was something in
his eye that seemed familiar to me"
Perhaps, the mention of Mary's beauty,
or the melting mood, so unusual with her
husband, might have excited a vague
feeling Of jealousy in Mrs. Barker. What
ever migut have been her motive, she
said III her demure way, without raising
her eyes from her knitting, "WeII, il
was natural enough to suppose the young
man had a mother; and other mothers
are likely 10 have hearts that can feel, as
well as this Mary Williams"
He only answered by shaking his head
slowly, and repeating, as if to himself
ssPO0r Mary and 50 he was JrFR son"