The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-01-30

hf", SllSht ethereal, *vphS or ScraplI'S
and, more than all, in the everlasting smile
of rosy lips, 50 arche,l, SO serene, so like
starlight and yet possessing the power o'
magic or Of magnetism to thrill the behold
cr's heart.
As the unfortunate girl, So tastcfnlv dress.
cd, SO 'ncomparnblc us t" personal charms,
calm and smiling, took her place before the
bar OF her Judge, mnrmur Of admir,-
ton arose from the multitude which the
prompt intcrp">ition of the court. bv stern
order Of "Slcncc," could scarcely rcpress
from swelling 70 a draicning cheer
The Judge turned TO the prisoner:
Emma Miner, the cour, has been inform
cd that your counsel, Col. Linton, is sick.
Have YOU employed any othcr?"
She answered in a voice as sweet rs the
warhlc OF the nightingale, and as clear as
the song of the >kylarli
"Mv enemies have bribcd all the LAWYERS.
even my own to be sick but God will de-
tcnd the innocent "
AT this response, so touching in its sim
pie pathos, a portion OF the auditors buzzed
applause, and the rest wcpt
On the instant. however, tho stranrcr
whose appearance had previously excited
such mcr'lncnt, started I" his feet, nprroach
r'i the prisoner, and whispered something
IN her car. She bounded six inches from
the floor, uttered piercing shrek. and then
stood trembling as if in presence of n ghost
from eternity ; Will. the singular Lcinr
who had caused her unacroun.ahlc emotion.
addressed the court. in his sharp, ringing
voice. sonorous as the sound of lmll metal ::
"Mav it please Your honor, | will assume
tl" task Of defending the lady"
Mat w exclaimed the a~,onishcd Jo,lre
''arc You Il licensed alInrncv."
'lhr question is irrelevant and inmate.
rial replied the stranger. with Il vcnomon,
srlccr, "as the recent statute entities any
person to act as counsel ut the request of q
party"
"l'nt does the prisoner request it 2" in
Iuircd the Judge.
"Iet her speak for herself" said the stra1
81 do WAS the answer, as long draw:
sIgh escaped, that seemed to rend her We,
lrcartS,rin"s.
Tl" case Immediately progressed; ar
rs It had Il tin"e of romantic mystery
will cltom;zr the substance Of the cvilrnt
Abont twelve months before The ,lci,.n
ant had arrived in the vllnwr, ana open.
an establishment OF milIin"rv RrSi,lr
III room connected with her shop, anil
alone she prepared the articles Of her tr:,.
with unwcarcd labor and c"nSummate fast
Her habits were secluded. modest, and
firing, and hence she might have hoped
avoid no'oricsv, but for the pcrilous Gift q.
that extraordinary beauty. which too otte..
and TO the poor and t'ricndlc<s always, prov
curse. She was soon sought after hv n
those tirc.iles of fashion, the profession
whose life, everywhere, is seduction and RI.
III. But Ike beautiful stranger ri,.cter
them all with unu!terable scorn and loatb
ing. Among these rejected admirers was
one OF character from Which ;hc fair mi,
liner had everything TO fear. Hiram Shor.
belonged to family, at on;e opuent, in.
h'lentlli end di$sipated. He was himsel'
lircn'lous. brave, and ferocion~lv revenge
tui-thc most l;.mous tlurllst Of the South
west. 1t was generally known that he laG
made advances to win the favor Of the love.
Iy Emma, and had sharcl the fate Of all
other woocrs--a 'lislaintnl rcpulSe
AT nine o'clock on Chris! mas nirht, 1887.
the people Of Lewi>bnrg were startled by a
loud scream, as Of one in mortal terror :;
while following that, with scarcely an inter
val, came successive reports Of firearms.
They flew to the shop OF the miIIincr,
whence the sound proceed, pushed back
the untastcncd door, and n scene of horror
was presented. There she stood in the cen
ire of the room, with q revolver in each
hand, every barrel discharged. her features
pale, her eyes flashing wildly, but her lips
parted with fearful smile And there at
her feet, wcl,crin9 in his warm blood, his
! bosom literally ri:lled with bullets, Law the
| all-drcadcd duelist, Hiram Shore, caspinp
IN the last agony. lie ariculatcd but a
single sentence Tell my mother that |
am dead and gone to hell :" and instantly
expired.
"ln the name Of God who did this :"
exclaimed the appalled, spectators.
~ did it, said the beautiful milliner, 81
did it to save my honor !"
AS may readily imagined. the deed caus-
cd an intense sensation. Public opinion,
however, was divided. The poorer classes,
crcditing the girls version of thee facts,
lauded her in terms Of mcasl,rcless eulopy.
l'ut the friends of tho deceased, and of his
wealthy family gave different and darker
coloring to the affair. and denounced the
lovely homicide as an atrocious criminal.
Unfortunately for her, the officers of the
law, especially the judge and sheriff, were
devoted comrades OF the slain, and display
ed their feelings in revolving partially.
the Judge committed her without the privi-
lcge OF bail, and the sheriff chained her in
the felon's dungeon
Such is brief abstract of the circum.
stances developed in the examination Of
witnesses. The testimony closed and the
pleading began.
First Of all, three advocates spoke in
succession for the prosecution but neither
their names nor their arguments are worth
preserving. Orators Of the blood and
thunder genus, they about equally parti-
toned their bowling eloquence betwixt the
prisoner and her leather-robed counsel, as
If i'll doubt who Of the twain was then on
trial.
AS for the stranger, he seemed to pay not
tho SlIDhtast aftanfion m The oanonont, h,,t