The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-07-26

II 1T happened yesterday, now slmulIane-
GUS the murmur Of admiration burst from
the lips of all present. Turning to the
plaintiff, Mr.. Burr asked, in cold, quiet
tone.
"Do you know this lady?"
"I do"
"Will you swear to that"
"I will. To the best of my knowledge
and belief she is my daughter"
"Can you swear to the identity 2"
~ can"
"What is her age2 2"
"She was thirty years old on the goth
day of April"
"When did you last see her~
"At her own house, about q fortnight
since"
"when did you see her previous to that
meeting?"
The plaintiff hesitated-a long pause
ensued-the question was repeated, and
the answer at length was:
"On the 10th day eff May, IL"
"When she was just three weeks DID,"
added Burr. "Gentlemen," continued he,
turning to us, ~ have brought this lady
here as an important witness, and such, 1
think, she is. The plaintiffs counsel has
pleaded eloquently in behalf of the be-
reaved husband, who escaped the perils Of
sea and returned only to find home DESC
late But who will picture to you the
lonely wife, bending over her daily toll
devoting her best years to the drudgery
fsordid poverty, supported only by the
hope OF her husbands return? Who will
picture the slow process of heart sicken-
ing, the anguish OF hope deferred, and
finally the overwhelming agony which
came upon her when her last hope was
extinguished, and she was compelled to
believe herself indeed widow? Whe
can depict all this without awakening in
your hearts the warmest sympathy for
the deserted wife, and the Interest scorn
for the mean, pitiful wretch who could
thus trample on the heart of her whom
he swore to love and cherish We need
not inquire into his motives for acting so
base part. Whether it was love of gain
or licentiousness, or selfish Indifference,
it matters not; he is too vile thing to
be judged by such laws govern men. Let
us ask the witness-she who now stands
before US with the frank, fearless brow of
a true-hearted woman-let US ask which
of these two has been to her father"
Turning to the lady, in tone whose
sweetness was strange contrast to the
scorntul accents which just characterized
his words, he besought her to relate
briefly the recollections of her early life.
A slight flush passed over her proud and
beautiful face as she replied:
"My first recolleciions are of a small,
ill-furnished apartment, which nay sister
and myself shared with my mother. She
used to carry out every Saturday eve
ming the work which had occupied her
during the week, and bring back employ
ment for the following one. Saving this
wearisome visit to her employers and
her regular attendance at church, she
never left the house. She often spoke of
my father and Of the anticipated return,
but at length she ceased to mention him,
though I observed she used to weep more
frequently than ever. I then thought she
wept because we were poor, for it some
times happened that our support was only
a bit of dry bread; and she was accus-
toned to see by the light Of the chips
which she kindled to warm her famished
children, because she could not purchase
a candle without depriving US of our
morning meal. Such was our poverty
when my mother contracted tho second
marriage, and the change to us was like a
sudden entrance to Paradise We found
a home and father" She paused.
"Would you excite my own child
against me 2" cried the plaintiff, as he i'm
patiently waved his hand for her to be
silent.
The eyes Of the witness flashed fire as
she spoke.
"You are not my father" exclaimed
she vehemently. "What, call you my
father You, who SO basely left your
wife to toll and your children to beggary
Never-never Behold there my father" "
pointing to the agitated defendant
'There is the man who watched over my
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