The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1866-08-15
The Volunteer Counsel.
A THRILLING STORY.

IllhlIllNd StOK1.
John Taylor was licensed when a
youth OF twenty-five to practice at the
bar. lie was poor but well educated, and
posse s>ed extraordinary genius. lie mar
ried Eeauty, who afterwards deserted
him for another.
On the OH of April, 1910, the court
house in CIarks,ille, Texas. was crowded
to overlooking. An exciting case was
tried. George Hopkins, Il wealthy plan
er, had offered gross insult to Mary
Ellison, the young and beautiful wife
OF his oversecr. The husband threaten.
ed to chastisc him for the outrage, when
Hopkins went to Ellison house and shot
him at his own door. The murderer
was bailed to answer the charge. This
occurrence produced Il great excitement.
and Hopkins in order to turn the tile of
popular Indignation, had circulated re-
ports against her character and she had
sued him for SANDER Both suits were
pending for murder and slandcr.
The interest became deeper when it
became known that Pike and Ashley
OF Arkansas, and :. :. prenliss of New
Orleans, by enormous fees, had been de-
tained 10 defend Hopkins.
Hopkins was acquitted. The Texas
lawyers were overwhelmed by their APP
Ponemts. 1t was the fight Of dwarf
against giant
Ihe SANDER case was fot the 9th, and
the throng o! spectators grew in numbers
as well as excitement; public opinion
was setting in for Hopkins; his money
had procured witnesses who served his
powerful advocates. When the SANDER
case was called, Mary Ellison was left
without an 1ttorney-all had withdrawn.
'llave you NJ counsel !! inquired Judge
Mills, looking kindly at the plaintiff
NO, sir, they have all deserted me.
and | am too poor to employ an more, ;
replied the beautiful Mary, bursting into
tears.
In such case, will not some chivalrous
member Of the profession volunteer ? said
the Judge, glancing around the Tar.
The thirty lawyers were silent.
Il will, your honor, said IL voice rom
the thlckest part of the crowd, behind
the bar.
At the sound of that voice many start
ed-lt was unearthly, sweet and mourn
ful.
The first sensation was changed into
laughter, when a tall, gaunt, spectral
figure elbpwed his way through the crowd.
and placed himself within the bar. His
clothes looked so shabby that the court
hesltated TO let the case proceed through
his management.
'llas your name been entered on the
rolls of the State ?" asked the Judge.
1T is immaterial,' answered the strarr-
er, his thin bloodle,S lips curling with Il
sneer. Here Is my license from the
highest tribunal of America :. and he
handed the Judge a broad parchment.
/ he trial went on.
lie allowed the witnesses to tell their
story, and the defense to lead of. Ashley
spoke first, followed by Pike and Prem
ti>s. The latter brought the house down
in cheers, in which the jury joined.
1t was now the strangers turns he
rises-belore the bar, not behind it
and so near the wondering jury that he
might touch the foreman with his long.
bony fingers. lie proceeded TO tear to
pieces the arguments of Ashley, which
melted away at his touch like frost before
a sunbeam every one looked surprised.
Anon he came TO the dazzling wit of the
poet-lawyer, Pike. Then the curl of his
lip grew sharper, his smooth face began
to klndle and his eyes to open, dim and
dreary no longer, but vivid as lightning,
rcd as fire globes and glaring as twin.
meteors The whole soul in the eve.
the full heart streamed out Of his face,
Then without bcstowing an allusion to
PrcnlisS, he turned short around ON the
perured witnesses of Hopkins, tore their
testimony INTO shreds, and hurled into
faces such terrible inve,tives that all
Irembled like aspens, and two Of them
He'd from the courthouse. The excite
ment OF the crowd was becoming tremtn-
ious. Their united souls seemed to
hang upon the burning tongue of the
stranger he inspired them with the
power of his malignant passion; he SEEM
ed TO have stolen natures long-hidden
secret Of attraction. But his greatest
triumph was to come.
His eye began TO glance at the assassin,
Hopkins, and his lean taper fingers a
'umed the same direction. lie hemmed
the wretch with wall of strong evidence
md imPresnable argument cutting off all j