The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1867-03-28

|
veil, discovering to US face of proud,
SURPRISING beauty. / recollect as well
as if it happened yesterday, how stimuli
taneously the nurmur of admiration
burst from the lips ofall present. Turn
| ing to the plaintiff, Mr.. Burr asked in a
cold, quiet tone:
"Do you know this lady?'
81 do"
"Will you swear to that 20
81 will to the best of my knowledge
and belief: she is my daughter"
Can you swear to the identity?o
81 cam"
"What is her age ?"
"She is thirty years old on the 10Th
day of April.
"When did you last see herr"
| cat her own house, about fortnight
SINCE"
"Whcn 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
"When she was three weeks old,o an
sWered Burr. Gentlemen" continued
he, turning to us, 81 have brought this
lady here as an important witness, and
such think she is. The plaintiff eoun-
sci has pleaded eloquently in behalf of
the bereaved husband, who escaped the
perils Of the sea and returned only to
find home desolate. But who will picture
to you the lonely wife. bending over the
daily toll, devoting her best years to
the drudgery of sordid poverty, support
ed only by the hope of her husbands
return? Who will picture the slow pro-
cess of heart sickening, the wasting an
guish of hope deferred, and finally the
overwhelming agony which come upon
her when her last hope was extinguish-
herself a widow? Who can depict all
this without awakening in your hearts
the warmest sympathy for the deserted
wife, and the Interest scOrn for the mean,
vile wretch. who could thus trample on
the heart Of her whom he sWore to love
and cherish? We need not inquire into
his motive for acting SO base part.
Whether it was love of gain, OR licen-
tiousness, or selfish Indifference, it mat
tiers not: he is too vile thing to be
judged by such laws rs govern men.
Let us ask the Witness-she who stands
before us with the frank, fearless brow
of a true-hearted Woman-let us ask
which Of these two has been to her a
father? 20
Turning to the lady, in tone whose
sweetness was a strange contrast with
the seornful accent which characterized
briefly the reeollections of her early life.
A proud flush passed over her beautiful
face as she replied:
"My first recollections are of small,
ill-furnished apartment, which my sister
and myself shared with my mother.
She used to carry out every Saturday
the work which occupied her during the
week, and bring back employment for
the following. Saving her Wearisome
visits to her employers, and her regular
attendance at church, she never left the
house. She often spoke Of my father,
and of his anticipated return, but at
length she ceased to mention him, tho
| observed she used to weep more fire.
quently than ever. | then thought she
wept because we were poor, for it some
times happened that our supper was
only a bit Of dry bread; and she was
accustomed to see by the light Of chips
which she kindled to warm her famish-
ing children, because She could not pur-
chase a candle without depriving us of
our morning meal. Such was ourpoverty
when my mother contracted her second
marriage, and the change to us was like
a sudden entrance to Paradise. We
found home and fatherW She paused.
would you excite my own child
against me 90 cried the plaintiff, as he
imp:atitently waved his hand for her to
The eyes Of the witness flashed fire as
on are not my father exclaimed
she, vehementIy. "What, call you nay
fMher-who so basely left your wife to
toll for your children to beggary >
Never. Behold there my father,'' point
ing to the calm defendant, "there is the
man who watched over my infancy,
who WAS the sharefofmy chilfiishsports,
and the guardian Of my inexperienced
youth. There is the man who claims
my affections and shares my home
there is my father. For yonder selfish
wretch I know him not. The best years
Of his life have been spent in laWIess
freedom from social ties; let him seek
elsewhere for the companions OF his de,
crepitude, nor dare insult the ashes Of
my aged mother by now claiming the
duties Of kindred from her deserted
children"
She drew ilei veil hastily around her
as she spoke, and moved as if wishing
TO withdraw.
gentlemen" said Burr, 81 have no
more to say. The words of the law are