The mountain Democrat., 1863-04-25
THE GARNET RIRG.

change from the dullness Of an almost un.
furnished and unfrequented back Office,
to visit the Court rooms, where not only
became familiar with the usages, arts and
means Of success employed by skillful
lawyers but where could see human ma.
ture in its perplexitieS and struggles, its
feebleness and P0ser, exciting in me an
interest and sympathy th1.1h drama has
never done.
One freezing morning during the first
week Of nee".s>>SHz. my Office, having lten
wholly innocent, for the season, Of all ar.
tifiCial warmth, or means Of warmth, was
too cold and cherries to be endured anv
longer.
1t was enough 10 quench the light OF
hope and fire of courage IN the most hot
healed and enthusiastic young man, so
determined to leave it for awhile took
down from its hook nv old overcoat, the
ever ready and unhinching friend Of two
or three winters Which, regardless of dig
nifty as an outsider, has never Shrunk from
the duties of frock.coat, dressing gown,
sick-gown and bed clothes. But, alaI on
this iirelcss, cold morning, when it would
have been 50 grateful to my poor heart
and poorer purse, to have found il trans
formed into one Of the thickest beavers,
fur lined and fur trimmed, invincible to
the fiercest north wester, it looked to me,
spite Of my old attachment to it, and my
gratitude for its services, itlooked quite
used up, brown and rusty. threadbare and
thin its collar sadly Soiled, its button
holes rent, its buttons Lonesome, no two
standing together
And wOrSe-t once friendly garment
was to my gloomy and suspicious eyes
u traitor. Would it not tell to every one
who should see il, the secret most wish
cd to hide? that which might bring my
final ruing Would it not tell that | was
poor and unsuccessful that had no
business aud no immediate prospect Of
ANY, that | had no requirements and
abilities which the world needed not
enough even to enable me to take care of
myself!
The once good friend seemed anything
but friend now, and il must not go with
me this morning. But then, if it stayed
at home, its absence would tell my tale
the same as its presence. was in de-
spair.
What could do? What was there for
me but poverty, neglect and mortificar
ton! hurried away to the Police Court
room, where turbulent aud uncomfortable
distress makes us forget the suffering that
can be hidden where the hopeless and
/ frantic agony Of crime makes us feel for
! tUnatc in our innocence, however else un.
! ioi i;uuait.
~ ! entered girl Was put on trial for
| iarc,n ny, a common case, as that stated ;
| Yet saw something in my first glance at
her, that made me forget lack of clients,
| ch,erlesS "iiice and tell tale overcOat =
| She Vas about eighteen; fair and fresh
booking; with soft, light hair, brushed
neatly over her ears; large blue eyes, the
lids very much swollen by crying and
| small, uni"ark I'd features. She was clad
III dark blue Lncrino dress, and plain
White cO.ar.
canltot clearly explain what it was in
her that SO interested INC. The inner liie
has an expression outward that is more
easily recognized than described, and it
wa, probably this.
lett that there was undoubtedly some.
,ting WRONG l.. the case; that decent look
in. Young person, St: neat and proper in
dress, without any tawdrl2eSS or orna'
| ment, did not belong to a prisoner 5 dock;
| ought not to he there.
watched her aud watched the trial
The clerk read the Indictment The girl
stood up and heard herself, Selma White,
! charged With Alealing shawl aud dress,
property OF one Mary Wilson, The tears
rolling in streams down her cheeks. and
her voice scarcely audible from emotion,
| she pleaded not guilty
The first witness Was the policeman who
arrested her. HIS testimony amounted TO
nothing more than that he had found the
! clothes alleged to have been stolen, in q
carpet bag marked with the prisoners
name, and claimed by her. The prisoner
ceased weeping when this witness was
called. and kept her eyes fixed steadily
upon him.
She was told BY the Judge, whose sym
! pathy she had evidently enlisted, that it
was proper for her to ask any questions
bearing on the case, and now | perceived
that she had no one to defend her, or give
her special advice and aid. She avalled
herself oi the privilege with which the
Judge had made her acquai. ted, and en-
deavored to draw from the officer the ad-
mission that she had shown more surprise
when the stolen articles were found in
her carpet bag than any one else present,
but in this she failed. He was altogether
uncommunicative and evaSive in his an
Swers to her.
One Mary Wilson testified to the loss O
some clothes which she described; some
garments were shown her which she iden
tilted. In answer to questions she stated
that they had been lying in trunk; thai
she had not laid eyes on them for thret
months, or more, till she found them ir
the prisoners carpet bag, and that ont
Mary Murray had suggested her looking
there for them.
Mary Murray was now called. She was
very bold girl, snowy in dress and ans
in manners. Her fingers were loaded
with cheap rings, the most conspicuou.
of which was a large garnet. While the
stolen garments were being shown, haC
observed q young man crowd as far for
ward as he could get. to look at them
My eyes happened to be on him when hC
first caught sight of the witness rings
and the expression which then covered biz
face excited my interest scarcely less thar
that of the prisoner had done. Iapproach
ed him and inquired, DO you know any
thing of this case :'------------------'--r.. -.
Not much, he answered, ,coloring deep
ly.
DO you know any ,hing?'
well, yes, some things he answered
If it is any thing that can be brough
to bear in favor of the prisoner, tell m'
forthwith, ! said. for she is an innocen