Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-07-07
Altsfcliaup.
DICKENS NEW STORY. !,
A TALE OF TWO CITIES.
In Three Books.

DISAPPOINTMENT. f
Mr.. Attorney general had to inform the jury
that the prisoner before them, though young in
years, was old in the reasonable practices
which claimed the forfeit of his life Thatthis
with the public enemy was not
o correspondence OF to-day, or ofsyesterday, or
even, # last year, or Of the year before. That,
~ " siG thA;fsoncr had, for longer than
- IIssiag and rrgaaying
(l1IZsg giSiid on secret business
- whicH he could give no honest account
That, if it were in the nature of tratorous ways
to thrive (Which, happily, it never was), the
real wickedness and guilt of his business might
have remained undiscovered. That, Providence
however, had put it into the heart of a person
who was beyond fear and beyond reproach to
ferret out the nature of the prisoners schemes,
and, struck with horror, to disclose them to his
Majesty's Chief Secretary of State and most
Prvy Council That, this patriot
would be produced before them. That, his
position and attitude were, the whole, sublime.
That, he had been the prisoners friend, but at
once in an suspicious and an evil hour detect
ing his nfamy, had resolved to immediate the
traitor he could no longer cherish in his bosom
on the sacred altar Of his country. That, If
statues were decreed in Britain, as in ancient
Greece and Rome, to public benefactors, this
shining citizen would assuredly have had one
That, as they were not so decreed, he probably
would not have one. That, Virtue, as had been
observed by the poets (in many passages which
he we'll knew the jury would have, word for
word at the tips of their tongues whereat the
jury's countenances displayed guilty cons
ciousness that they knew nothing about the
passages), was, in manner, contagious; more
the bright virtue kown as patriotism,
of love of country. That, the lofty example Of
this immaculate and unimpeachable witness for
the Crown, to refer to whom, however unworthi-
ly, was an honor, had communicated itself to
the prisoners servant, and had engendered in
him holy determination to examine his
masters table-drawers and pockets and secrete
his papers. That, he (Mr. Attorney-GeneraD
was prepared to hear some disparagement at
tempted of this admirable servant but that, in
general way, he preferred him to his (Mr.
ATTORNEY Gsneras) brothers and aisters. and
honored him more than his (Mr. Attorney
General's) father and mother. That, he called
with confidence on the jury to come and do
likewise. That, the evidence of these two
witnesses coupled with the documents of their
discovering that would be produced, would
show the prisoner to have been furnished with
lists of his Majestys forces, and of their dspos
tion and preparation, both by sen and land !;
and would leave no doubt that he had 'habitual-
ly conveyed such information to hostile Power.
That, these lists could not be proved to be in the
prisoners handwriting but that it was all the
same that, indeed, it was rather the better for
the prosecution, as showing the prisoner to be
artful in his precautions. That, the proof
would go back five year, and would show the
prisoner already engaged in these pernicous
missions within u few weeks before the date of
the very first action fought between the British
troops and the Americans. That, for these
reasons, the jury, being loyal jury (as he
knew they were), and being a responsible jury
(as they knew they wcre), must positively find
the prisoner Guilty, and make an end of him,
whether they liked it or not. That, they never
could lay their heads upon their pillows. that,
they never could tolerate the idea Of their wives
laying their heads upon their pillows; that,
they never could endure the notion of their
children laying their heads upon their pillows
in short, that there never more could be, for
them or theirs, any laying ofheads upon pillows
at all, unless the prisoner head was taken off.
That head Mr.. Attorney General concluded by
demanding of them, in the name of every thing
he could think Of with a round, round turn,
and on the faith of his solemn asseveration that
he already considered the prisoner as good as
dead and gone.
When the Attorney General ceased, buzz
arose in the court asif a cloud Of great blue
flies were swarming about the prisoner in antci
patton of what he was soon to become. Wher
it toned down again, the unimpcachable patriot
appeared in the witness box
Mr.. Solicitor-Gcneral then, following hi.
leaders lead, examined the patriot John Bar
sad, gentleman, by name. The story of his
pure soul was exactly what Mr.. Attorney Gene
raj had described it to be-pcrhaps, il it had {
fault, little too exactly. Having released hi'
noba bosom of its burden, he would have
modestly withdrawn himself, but that the wig
ged gentleman with the papers before him, sit
ting not far from Mr.. Lorry, btgged to ask hin
Il few questions. The wigged gentleman sitting
opposite still looked at the ceiling of the court
Had he ever been spy himself? No, h'
scorned the base nsinuaton. What did he live
upon? His property. Where was his proper
ty? lie didn't precisely remember where il
was. What wasit? No business OF anybody s
Had he inherited it? Yes, he had. From
whom? Distant relation. Very distant
Rather. Ever been in prison? Certainly not
Never in debtors prison Come, once again
Never? Yes. How many times? Two ol
three times. Not five or six? Perhaps. o.
what profession? Gentleman. Ever beer
kicked? Might have been. frequently? No
Ever kicked down stairs? Decidedly not; once
received kick on the top of staircase and fel
down stairs of his own accord Kicked on thai
occasion for cheating at dice? Something tc
thnt effect was said by the intoxicated liar whr