Weekly Trinity journal., 1868-02-29
WEEKLY TRINITY JOURNAL.

axrcnorr OF CHoATE.-In l84l Mr.. Choate
was engaged in divorce suit on the part of the
husband 10 procure q separation from his wife.
The principal witnesses for his client was a wo-
man named Abigail Bell. On the cross-examin-
alton, Mr.. Sumner, the opposing counsel, asked
her:
Are you married p
ono"
Have you children p
"No"
"Have you child ?"
Then there was long aud distressing pause.
At last the monosyllable eyes" was feebly ut
tered by the witness. Instantly the counsel
ceased The cross-examination. Of course her
evidence, where there was conflict of testimo-
ny, was immensely damaged in the eyes of the
jury BY this fact confessed by the maiden mother
Choate did not ask any question in reply or ex-
planaton and she stepped down from the wit
ness stand blackened woman.
When be came in the course Of his argument
to reply to that part of his case which rested on
her evidence, he to-k her character in hand
The courtroom hushed the moment he said,
"Ablg"il Bells evidence, gentlemen, is before
you" Raising himself up with frmness, he
went on g solmnly assert that there is not the
dream OF shadow of a shade of doubt or of sus-
picion on that evidence or on her character"
Everybody looked stupefed with establishment
at these words. Solemnly be proceeded:
What though in an unguarded moment she
may have trusted too far to the young man to
whom she was to have been welded on the next
Lords day, and who was suddenly struck dead
at her feet by stroke OF lightning out OF the
heavensF'
Then he made another of his tremendous
pauses, shutting the air, and bis strange eyes
lowered over the jury, while they took in this
romantic and extraordinary explanation. The
whole courtroom felt its force and lighted up as
if feeling of relief had been experienced by
every one present There buzz, a stir, a
universal sensation, and then again Choate roll
ed along under full Roadway. He won his case,
and the tragic story, to the character of the
fair witness, the offspring of his fertile fancy.
SUCCESS MAKES THE HERo.-Win in the lottery
and you a clever man. for he who triumphs
is reverted. All you want is to be born under a
fortunate star. Have luck and you will have the
rest; be fortunate and you will be thought
great man leaving out five or six immense ex-
ceptions, which form the lustre of an age, cotem-
porary admiration is blear-eyedness. Gliding is
gold and it does you harm to be any one so
long you are the parvenu. The mob is old
Narcissus, adoring itself and applauding the
mob. That enormous faculty by which man is
u Moses, Eschyus, Dante, Michael Angelo, or
Napoleon, the multitude DEGREES broadcast and
by acclamation to any one who obtains his OBJ
ject, no matter in what. Let notary trans
figure himself into deputy; false Corneile
produce Tiridates a eunuch contrive to possess
harem a military Prudhomme accidentally
gain the decisive battle of an age an apothecary
invent cardboard soles for the army of the Sam
bre ct Meuse, and make out of the cardboard
sold for leather income of 400 900 francs
year; peddler espouse usury and put it to bed
with seven or eight millions, of which he is the
father she the mother; preacher becomes a
bishop by his nasal twang; let the stewart of q
good family be so rich on leaving service that be
is made Chancellor of the Exchequer-and men
will call it genius, in the way as they call
Mousqueton' s face beauty and Claud's mien ma
jesty. They confound with the consultations of
profundity the stars which the ducks feet make
il the soft mud of the pond Victor Hugo.