The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-05
Vol. XIII.

client, he could not at first tell why; it was no
unlike the compassionate gentleness Of physi
clan towards a desperately sick patient. ID,
found out why, one of the first times he was LEI
alone with Mr.. Broadstone; when he seized tn
opportunity to ask him what he thought OF M
case. He put the question with the mild gray
ity of an invalid, who would gladly live, but u
prepared to die; not that he thought, however
of the possibility of the loss of life, but of life
better half liberty.
Mr. Broadstone started, looked at him, paused
in his walk and then came up TO him, and tool
seat by his side. Ny son" said he, in low
tone-"youll excuse my calling you so; for
have poor boy who must be about your age
and mi ght have been more like you, If he
been brought up where you, were. 4ou surprls'
me. Tell me exactly what you meant"
i meant" said Herman, coloring with thu
effort, -" to ask how good chance you though
there was of my acq1ittal ?" A very dayl
shadow came over BroadstoDe's face, like thF
shadow of coming Fate. The poor young mar
saw it, and was sufficiently answered :. lut
turning very pale, he urged, "They can have
scarcely any satisfactory evidence against me
scarcely any evidence at all, except, perhaps
that of St Dominique's driver and he is g
black. They cannot legally receive his testi
mOny."
"They cannot receive it in court; nor car
they, according to mans law, act upon 1t; bu
mans law does less than nothing in such &
case as this to keep it from acting upon them
That ackguard-good, appropriate, generic
term for us shareholders, by the way, ha, ha !
ST. Dominique, was in this town this evening
He was giving treat in the public square a.
rode by, and set his negro up on a stump
and made him take turns with him self making
speeches. | stopped and heard one OF them
Twas getting so dark he didn't notice me. Dc
had taught the fellow his lesson and he re
cited it trippingly enough-an account OF thu
whole affair, but of your first visit to Sam, prin
cipally. | must say it didn't tally remarkably
with that you gave me-no plagiarism there
perfectly original. Great Jupiter, sir, if W.
could have that sooty liar into court for cross
examination, / would in FIVE minutes take thu
curl out of his very wool. But there it is; St
Dominique was telling them from time to time
that he was a pious negro, whose word the!
might take as soon as his own and they wer'
swallowing it all for gospel. From that audi
ence your jurymen will probably be taken
and if not, from persons who have communi
Gated with it. / shall do my best to have you
term the shortest possible; but pray God, m,
poor boy, you may be sentenced to imprison
ment; if you are not" said he, in still lowe
tone, "you must hold yourself prepared to rem
der up your soul to Him through the hands o
a mob You are man enough to face tn
worst and therefore you have right to know
it and therefore tell it you. If could hav
supposed you in ignorance Of it, | would have
told you before, and given you little NOR
time to make up your mind. Life looks brigh
at your age; but those don't suffer the most,
believe, who part with it earliest; and Draw
man holds it in his hands, at all times"
! He spoke with kind of feeling frmness un
usual in him. Herman pressed his hand CRATE
fully, walked to the grated window, stood ga
zing wistfully out into the darkening night
few moments, returned, aud said no more upol
the subject.
He spent the afternoon Of the day before hi
trial in writing long letters to Constance an
Clara; and in this occupation his brother
stealthily glancing at him over his newspaper
could see that, from time to time, he was a goo
deal mOved. THIS over. however, he was SO co
lected and cheerful in conversation through ga
evening, and seemed so well content that
any rate, their suspense was so soon to be {
an end. that Edward could not believe h
shared his own agonizing apprehensions of vie
lence on the morrow. He was surprised an
unable to account for it, when, on parting wit
him for the night Herman, as if by Sudde
and uncomfortable impulse, threw his arm
around his neck and kissed him.