The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-04-25
beam which seemed 70 soften the plaoi

beam which seemed 10 soften the placid
countensnce Of bis adversary.
The plaintiffs lawyer made . most elo-
lquent appeal for his client, and had We moi
been informed about the matter, our hearts
would have been melted by bis touching
description Of the return Of the desolate hus.
band, and the great agony with which he
beheld his household goods removed TO con
secrate strangers hearth. The celebrated
Aaron Burr was the counsel for the defend
art, and we anticipated from him splendid
display Of oratory.
wacn Do We dab - ssnssensnf Ths knava the fool
II he bas hss fun tIshs Of gold and wears eonrtI,
Contrary to our expectations, however,
Burr made no attempt to confute his opp0-
nent's eloquent oratorY. He merely opened
. book Of statutes, and pointing with his
thin fingers to one Of the pages, desired the
referees 10 read IL, while he retired moment
for the principal witnesses.
We had scarcely finished the section, which
fully decided the matter in our minds, when
Burr rs-entered with tall and elegant fe-
male on his arm. She was attired In sim
pie white dress " .th wreath of ivy leaves
encircIing her large straw bonnet, and lace
vail completely concealing Asr.countenapce.
Burr whispered q few words, apparently en-
coaraging her to advance, aud then grace
fully raised her vail, discovering TO Us q
face of proud, surprising beauty. | IecOl-
lect as well as if it hs.Densd yesterday, bow
rsimultaneous the muTmIr Of admiration
burst from th lips Of all present. Turning
to the plaintiff, Mr.. Burr asked in cold,
quiet tone:
Do YOU know this lady ~
al do.o
"Will you swear to that 7"
81 will to the best Of my knowledge and
belief; she is my daughter"
"Can you swear to the identityf"
81 can."
"What is her age 2"
''She was thirty years old on the Goth dAY
Of April"
"When did you last see herr
cat her own house, about fortnihSt
since."
"When did you see her previous to that
meeting ~
The plaintiff hesitated-a long pause en-
sued-the question was repeated, and the
answer at length was:
"About thirty years ago."
"When she was three weeks old" added
Burr. "Gentlemen," continued he, turning
to us, ''I have brought this lady here as al
important witness, and such think she 10.
The plaintiffs counsel has pleaded eloquent
ly in behalf Of the bereaved husband, who
escaped the perils Of the sea and returned
only 10 find home desolate. But who will
picture to you the lonely wife, bending over
her daily toll, devoting her best years to
drudgery OF sordid poverty, supportedsonly
by the hope Of her husbands returns Who
viii picture the slow process of heart sicken-
ing, the wasting anguish Of hopes deferred,
and finally, the overw helming agony which
came upon her when the last hope was ex-
tinguished and she was compelled to believe
herself wIdow3 Who can depict all this
without weakening IN your hearts the warm
est 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 cherishi We
need not inquire into bis motive for acting
So base part. Whether it was love, gain, or
righteousness, or selfish difference, It mat
ters not; be is too vile thing to be Judged
ask the witness-she who stands before Us
with the frank, fearless brow of true
hearted voman--let Us ask which Of these
two has been to her father"
Turning 70 the lady, in tone whose
sweetness was q strange contrast with the
scornful accent which characterized his
words, he besougbt her to relate briefly the
recol!ections Of her early life. A proud flush
passed over her beautiful face as she re-
piled:
sMy first recollections are Of small, ill
furnished apartment, which my sister and
- xusf FnAfhar Che al
to carry out every Saturday the work which
had occupied her during the week, and bring
back employment for the following one.
Saving her wearisome visits to her employ !
ers, 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,
though | observed she used to weep more
frequently than ever. l then thought she
wept because we were poor, for it sometimoe
happened that our support was only q bit Of
dry bread and she was accustomed to see
by the light of chips which she kindled to
warm her famishing children, because she
could not purchase candle without depriv-
ing us of our morning meal. Such wm our
poverty when my mother contracted her
second marriage, and the change to US was
like a sudden entrance to Paradise. We
found home and father" She paused.
"Would you excite my child against me ~
cried the plaintiff, as he impatiently waved
his hand for her TO be silent.
The ayes of the witness flashed FIRE as she
spoke:
"You are not my fatherl'' exclaimed she,
vehemently. "What, call You my father
you who so baseiy left your wife to toll for
your childEen-tc beggaryi Never. Be
bold there, my father,' pointing TO the calm
defendant "there is the nan who watched
over my infancy, who was the sharer Of my
childish sports, and the guardian Of my To-
experienced yoath. There is the man who
claims my affection and shares my home
there is my father For yonder selfish
wretch | know him not. The best years Of
his life have been spent in lawless freedom
from social ties let him seek elsewhere for
the companions Of his decrepitude, nor dare
insult the ashes Of my angel mother by now
claiming the duties Of kindred from her de
serted children"
She drew her veil hastily around her as
she spoke, and moved as If wishing 70 with
draw.
.Gentlemen,. said Burr, 81 have no more
to say. The words Of the law are expressed
In the book before you the words Of truth
you have heard from woman's pure lips; It
10 for you to decide according to the requi-
sition Of nature and the DEGREES Of justice. -
need mot say that our decision was in
favor Of the defendant; and the plaintiff vent
forth followed by the contempt Of every
honorable man who was present at the trial.
| Mechanics.
They are the palace bnllders OF the world;
mot stick is heTn, not . stone is shaped ID
all the lordly dwellings Of the rich, thai
does mot owe its beauty and fitness TO ths
skill Of the mechanic. The towering spire,
| that raise their giddy heads among th'
clouds, depend upon the mechanics art fol
their strength and symmetry. Not an edi
fce for devotion, or business, or e0mfors
but bears the impress OF their hands. How
| exalted is their vocation, how sublime theil