The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-06-02

speeches, but the latter deserved pecu
liar credit, having so very bad a caus,
to sustain. Although he well knew hi
client was as thorough scoundrel q,
ever breathed, and that his condemna
tion would be blessing to society, ye'
he pleaded his cause with all lawyer,
conscientiousness When he got to the
peroration he managed to squeeze from
his eyes a few rare tears, the last anC
most precious, imagine, which he care
fully reserved for an especially solemn
occasion-iust as some families preserve
a few bottles of fine old wine, to be
drunk at the marriage of daughter OF
the coming of age of son. AT length
the case closed, and the president was
going to sum up; but as the heat in the
court was excessive, and every one pres
ent stood in need of Refreshments, leave
was given for the jury to retire for hal
an hour, and the hall was cleared fol
the same space of time, in order that il
might undergo a thorough ventilation
During this interval, while twelve Jurors
were cooling themselves with ices and
sherbet, the thirteenth lighted cigar
and reclining in an armchair, smoked
away with the gravity of a Turk.
"What capital cigar!" sighed one
of the jurors, as he watched with an en-
vious eye the odoriferous little clouds
escaping from the smokers lips.
the Major, politely offering his cigar
case.
eff it would not trespass too much on
your kindness"
BY no means. You are heartily well
come" The juror took cigar and light
cd it at that of his obliging neighbor.
"Well, how do you like ?" asked the
Major.
5" Delicious! 1t has an uncommonly
pleasant aroma. From whence are you
supplied ?"
"From the Havanna." Several iur-
ors now approached, casting longing
glances at Major Vernon's cigar-case.
Gentlemen" said he, "I am really
grieved that l have not single cigar
left to offer you, having just given the
last to our worthy friend. Tomorrow,
however, / hope to have fresh supply,
and shall then ask you to do me the
honor of accepting some"
AT that moment an official came in to
announce that the court had resumed
ifs Si hn h,g In,
box, and the president began his charge.
Scarcely had he commenced, however,
when the juror who had smoked the
cigar rose, and in trembling voice beg
ged permission to retire, as he felt very
i'll. Indeed, while in the act of speak
ing he fell backward, and lay senseless
on the floor. The president, of course,
directed that he should be carefully con-
veycd to his home, and desired Major
Vernon to take his place. Six strokes
sounded from the old clock of the town
hall as the jury retired to deliberate on
their verdict in the case of Pierre Gram
ger. Eleven gentlemen exclaimed with
one voice that the wretched assaSsin's
guilt was perfectly clear, and that they
could not hesitate for moment as to
their decision. Major Vernon, however,
stood up, placed his back against the
door, and regarding his colleagues with
a peculiarly sinister expression, said
slowly:
81 shall acquit Pierre Granger, and
you shall all do the same!"
"Sir," replied the foreman, in a Sc
we're tone, you are answerable to your
conscience for your own actions, but l
do not see what right you have to offer
us gratuitous insult"
cam | then so unfortunate as to of
fend you?" asked the Major meekly.
Certainly, in supposing us capable
of breaking the solemn oath which we
have taken, to do impartial justice.
am man of honor"
BAH" interrupted the Major, "are
you quite sure of that?"
A general murmur of Indignation
arose.
"Do you know, sir, that such ques-
tion is fresh insult?"
"You are quite mistaken, :" said Major
Vernon. "What / said was drawn
forth by feeling of the solemn respon-
sibility which rests with us. Before /
can resolve to make a dead body of
living, moving being, must feel salts
fed that both you and l are less guilty
than Pierre Granger, which, after all, is
not so certain"
An ominOus silence ensued; the Ma
ior's words seemed to strike home to
every breast, and at length one of the
Jurors said: You seem, sir, to regard !
the question from a philosophic point of
vieW.n
"Just so, Monsieur Cernau."
"You know me, then ?" said the juror
in Il trembling voice.
"Not very intimately, my dear sir,
but just sufficiently to appreciate your
londncss for discOunting bills at what
your enemies might call usurious inter-
est. Think it was about four years ago |
that an honest poor man, the father Of
A large family, blew out his brains, in
despair, at being refused by you Il short
renewal, which he had implored on his
knees"
Without replying NJ. Cernau retired |
to the farthest corner of the room, and
wiped off the large drops of sweat which
started from his brow.
What does this mean ?" inquired |
another juror impatiently. "Have we