The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-10-15

PlaCc on tue Oencn, the spectators remark
ed that his eyes were more heavy than
usual, and that his face was almost as
pale as that Of the prisoner. He cast a
searching look, ever and anon, toward the
| group of female witnesses that sat near,
but among the quiet and common place
features exhibited there he found nothing
to remind him of his midnight visitor.
The business of the trial went on, and, as
the. interest had always been in the fate
OF the prisoner he now listened with keener
interest to the proceedings. Toward the
close when the evidence grew more and
more decided against the prisoner, the
Judge became painfully restless, the color
came and went on bis cheek, and there
was an expression in his fine eyes which
no man remembered to have observed
there before.
The prisoner, too, seemed less collected
and Indifferent than he had hitherto been
during the trial. Instead of keeping his
dark eyes fixed with sort of mouraful
earnestness on the jury, as he had done
the day before, he cast wistful glances
toward the group of females. His eyes
grew troubled and brilliant, while now,
!
the drops from his forehead, those who
looked closely saw that it trembled This
was altogether different from his former
cold and unimpassioned demeanor, and
people whispered to each other that now,
as his case grew more and more hopeless,
his courage was giving way
Once or twice he turned and cast a
searching look over the multitude of hu-
man faces with which the room was
crowded. The last time some one in the
crowd seemed TO riyet his attention. Fire
flashed to his eyes, and his cheeks were
blood-red. He half started to his feet,
dropped again as if bullet had cleft his
heart, and after one brief shudder, sat
motioniess as before, gazing not either
upon the judge or the jury, but pale and
marble-like on his own clasped hands.
Among that sea of human faces no one
could tell what II was that had so moved
the prisoner, and boy muffled in cloak,
pressed so eagerly onward just after, that
1t served to draw attention from the un-
happy man. Though the crowd was so
dense that it seemed impossible for any
one to advance single step the lad forced
his way till he reached those who stood
nearest the prisoner, and gathering his
cloak about him, stood within few PAGES
of the heart-stricken man, pale and mo-
tionless also.
AT length the judge began to deliver
his charge. He was paler than usual in
such cases, while an expression of stern
sorrow lay upon his features, and gave
depth and solemn pathos to his voice.
Still though he seemed more agitated than
any one had ever seen him before, his in
tellect was clear The evidence was
against the prisoner there was no clue,
not single thread, upon which an honest
man might fix doubt.
The prisoner never lifted his face, but
the boy behind him stood immovabIe with
his large eyes rivited on the judge, and
hardly seeming to breathe. AS the sum-
ming up grew more and more against the
prisoner, the boy began to waver He
reached forth one hand, and grasped the
arm of a strangerthat stood next, thus
prevented himself from fallingto the floor
In the midst of an opinion, bearing
decidedly against the prisoner, the judge
caught the glance fixed on him by this
cheeks-he stammered-put his hand to
his forehead, and went on, but his voice
was more subdued, and more than once
tears were seen to food his eyes.
Night came on, the jury had been out
three hours, and all that time the CROWD
remained immovable, and in front, with
his eyes bent on the prisoner, was thR
pale and trembling boy. They came ir
at last, with the unspoken destiny of g
human being imprinted on their faces.
The boy looked upon them as they ranged
themselves in the iurv-5ox from one to
the other his shrinking eyes were turned.
and then, with one wild struggle he forced
a passage into the crowd.
Gaay! That fearful word has sealed
the death-sentence of two human beings
Three weeks after the trial the prisoners
was found dead in his CELL A paper OF
powered opium which was found in his
bosom was all the explanation of his
death that ever reached the public. A
week after the judge received funeral
card, which surprised him not little, for
the bereaved family though wealthy and
in high standing, were total strangers to
him. But private note which followed
the card informed him that after she was
taken with the brain fever that terminated
her life, the young creature who had SC
suddenly left her home desolate, had earn
estly requested that he might be present
at the funeral
He went, and there, whittier than the
satin which lined her coffin, lay his mid
night visitor, the seeming boy, whose
mournful face bad troubled him in the
room, and whose cold, pale bepnfy, haunt
ed him many an hour in his after life.