The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-03-23

it was so unearthly, sweet, ringing ano
mournful. {s,. ba.aao
The first sensation, however, was chan
ged into laughter, when a tall, gaunt
spectral figure, that no person present re
membered to have seen before, elbowec
his way through the crowd, and PLACED
himself within the bar. 4 r3.i 2a.hT
His appearance was a problem to puz
zle the sphynx herself. His high, pale
brow, and his small neryously twitchins
face, seemed active with the concentrated
essence and cream of genias, but then hi,
infantne blue eyes, hardly visifle beneath
their massive arches, looking dim dreary
almost conscious, and his clothing was Sc
shabby that the conrt almost hesitated tt
let the case proceed under bis manage
ment.
HAS your name been entered on the
rolls of the State O. demanded the judge
suspiciously. a~a jaas 20
sit is immaterial about my name be
ing on your rolls" answered the stranger
his thin bloodiess lips curling up, Into &
fiendish sncer. Il may be allowed by
the courtesy of tho court and bar. Here
is my license from the highest tribuna
of America!" ~ he handed Judge Mills
a broad parchment. The trial lmmedi-
ately went on. ai .5 eat s ahts5
In the examination of witnesses the
stranger evlnced very little ingenuity as
commonly thought. He suffered each one
t tell their own story, without Interrupt
ton, though he generally managed to
make each one tell it over two or three
times. He put a few cross questions,
which with keen witnesses onl y served to
correct mistakes, and he made no notes,
which IN mighty memories, only tend to
embarrs,ss. The examination beng en-
ded, rs a counsel for the plaintiff, he had
a right to the opening as well as the clio,
sing speech; but to the astonIshment Of
every one, he declined the former, and
aaowed the defense to lead off. Then q
shadow might have been seen to fit across
the fea. ures of Pike, and to dark the
rrght eyes of PrentIss. They saw thai
they had "canght Tartar but who il
was, or how. 1t happened, was Impossible
10 guess.
Col. Ashley spoke first. He dealt tho
jury dish of that close dry logic, which
years after rendered him famous in the
Senate Of the Union. -.
:" The poet, Albert Pike, followed with
a vein of wit, anu half torrentof ridlcuit
III which neither the plaintiff or her rag
ged attorney were forgotten Or spared.
e The great Prent:ss concluded for the
defendant, with a glow ofgorgcous words
orillian. as a shower Of falling stars, an
with bursts of oratory that brought the
house down in cheers, IN which even The
sworn jury themselves joined, notwlth-
stanuing the stern order OF the BENCH
Thus wonderfully susceptible are the
Southern people to the charms Of ilnpas-
stoned eioquesce. FIX. r
1t was the strangers turn. He had re.
manned apparently distracted during al
the previous speeches. STILL and straight,
and motionless i'll his seat, his pale, smooth
forehead shooting high like u mountain
cone of snow. and but for that continue
witch that came and went perpetualiy II
his saiIow face, you WOULD have taken
aim for a mere man OF marble, or a hui
man form carved in ice. Even his din
.reary eyes were invisible beneath those
great shaggy eyebrows. has g|ao 81
But now at last he rises-before the
oar, not behind it--and SO near the won.
ering jury that he might have touches
he foreman with his ioug bony finger
" til eyes half shut, and standing rigid
rs pillar OF iron, his thin lips curled as
! in measures scorn, slightly apart, and
tne sound comes forth. ss 8a Sir Is gG5
At first it is slow and sweet, insinua.
ing itself into the brain, as an artless
tune winning its way into the deepest re
esses of the heart like the melody of q
age ineantation, while the speaker pro.
cee.is without a gesture or the least slgn
+ excitement to tear to pieces the argu-
-nents of Ashley, which melt away at his
touch as frost before the sunbeam. Eve.
ry one looked surprised. His logic was
a once so brief, and so UNANIMOUSLY clear,
that the rudest peasant could comprehend
without IN effort.
Anon he came to the dazzling wit Of
tn poet-lawycr P Ike. Then the curl OF
lis lip grew sharper, his smooth face be-
AN to kindle up, and his eyes to pen
lin and dreary no longer, but vivid As
lightning, red as fire globes. and g'ariDe