The weekly Butte record., 1863-01-31
NO. 13

raj witnesses were called. TO prove the threat
uttered by my father, anu that he was seen On
the evening Of the Ere hurrying away from The
direction Of the burning ricks The steward
and constable related the facts Of his absence
from home, aud Of his return and capture.
The case was thus strong against the prisoner,
when the Judge called upon him Tor bis defence,
AT this moment barris,er. whose presence
l had not before observed. rose and intimated
that he appeared for the prisoner at the bar
Every eye was turned upon him. for it was well
known that no advocate had been employed On
my fathers behalf Youthful. slight and pale,
at a first glance be seemed but feeble cham
pion, bat when his face was turned towards
me- marked the eyes 50 quick and piercing,
the in1omitable energy Of that noble coun-
tenance. joy, hope and wonder took possession
of me- Was 1t, could it be 3? so changed and
yet so like The first syllable of his voice
assured me it was Frank Stopford-my Frank
who pleaded for my father and such plead
/ ing At the glorious eloquent words that
/ flowed so easily from his lips, the very breath
of his hearers seemed suspended An my years
Of patient waiting-of earnest, faithful love,
were richly repaid me in the happiness of that
hour! The words he uttered have passed
from my memory absorbed in the feelings they
called into fresh life, all but his last words,
which were these:
: 4 -
Farmer Flower guided on his road. an act of
kindness which had nearly cost him so dear
My servant who was with me. will corroborate
my testimony and trust YOU will need no
farther evidence to satisfy you of the prisoners
complete innocence of the charge, laid against
him.
Without leaving the court, the twelve
jurymen, amid the tears of some and the
hearty cheers Of Others, declared John Flower
Not guilty.
Five minutes afterwards, in small back
room, l was waiting for my father with heart
oyerfowing with JOY and gratitude, when the
| door opened, and frank Stopford entered
Forgetting the years We bad been parted for
getting all but that he was the deliyerer Of my
father the one idolized thought of my life,
flew to him. covered his hand with kisses
and with tears Frank, beloved restored TO
ME at last" said, Oh, never let US part
again
Madame he replied, in an agitated voice,
was not prepared for such a scene as this
did not look for this excess of gratitude
"'Oh, Frank l cried with bitter tears,
you no longer love me--you are cold and
changed =
"Jessy,' be answered, trembling from head
| to foot, what means this? Had you loved me.
you would have answered the letter | sent you
the day after our parting
1.-The letter you sent to me-what letter?
| received none
"'And have you for these seven years kept
the promise you made me under the elns at
Stratford-to love and hope and wait ??
"'Yes Frank, have never forgotten it, or
ceased to love YOU
With a look of unutterable anguish be ex-
claimed. Alas alas to think that it was
now too late My poor Jessy, this heart
which should have been all yours is now an-
others and past recall. l am married.
"When l recovered from the long, death
like swoon into which | sunk the first words 1
heard were those of Mr.. Jepson.
"'Yes Mr.. Flower, the gentleman who de-
Tended you was the celebrated Mr.. Stopford,
the son Of our old gamekeeper. It's wonderful
how he has risen; they say his marriage help
ed him on, though His wife was daughter
of General M'Kenzie very fine woman: ra-
ther older than him; large fortune. He has
bought beautiful place three miles from here
he was on bis way there when you met him
that night
"'Ah, Jessy,' said my father, Il judged
wrong once it was a bad day for thee my
poor child, when I refused Frank Stopford
1t was the last time the name ever passed
his lips; and grew, in the course of years, to
think without pain of the man to whom the
best and brightest years of my life had been
devoted
We were escorted home by band Of re-
joicing friends in the evening the squire rode
down to the cottage, aud holding out his hand,
said, Come, Mr.. Flower, let byegones be bye,
gones We have been mistaken in each other,
bat We shall understand one another better in
future, and so they were reconciled, and my
father lived happy and respected for many
years and when We buried him in the old
church-yard, the squire stood at the head of
the grave, and said Here lies a good father,
good friend, and an honest man. p"
Aud now, sir, the storm is over, and the
few simple incidents of my life are told; you
will now understand why ii is that I cling to
this old house, round which so many assOcia-
nuiot br-,- lia lanea i vprv