Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-06-04

tendance at public land-sale on the fol
lowing day.
Exacting promise that he would no
delay his visit longer than necessary, ant
having given minute directions as to the
route, l continued my way homeward
while he turned back.
was about retiring to bed on the nigh
of my return, when summons from with
out called me to the door. A stranger
asked shelter for himself and his horse
for the night.
invited him in. Though stranger
his face seemed not unfamiliar. He wa:
probably one of the men l had seen al
the land-ofiice, place, at that time, much
frequented
Offering him seat, went to see &c
his horse. The poor animal. as we'll a'
| could see by the dim starlight, seemed
to have been hardly used. His painting
sides bore witness of merciless riding. land
tremendous shrinking, at the slightest
touch, betokened recent fright.
On reentering the house. found the
stranger was not there. His absence eH'
cited no surprise; he would doubtlcs:
soon return. Il was a little singular
however. that he should leave his watch
lying on the table.
At the end Of half an hour, my guest
not returning, l went again to the stable
thinking he might have found his way
thither to give personal attention to hi:
horse.
Before going out, from mere force oi
habit-for We were rs yet uninfested by
either thieves or policemen-I took the
precaution 10 put the strangers watch
in the drawer in which | kept my own
valuables.
found the horse rs had left him, and
gave him the food which he WAS now sui
ficieutly cooled 10 be allowed TO eat, bu'
his master was nowhere 10 be seen.
As approached the house. crowd oi
men on horse back dashed up, and | was
commanded. in no gentle tones, TO stand!
In another minute | was in the clutches
of those who claimed me As their.prrson'
er'
Twas too much stupified at..first TO ask
what it all meant. did SO at last. and
the explanation came it was terrible!
NV friend, with whom l had so lately
set out in company, had been found muir
dered and robbed near the spot At which
|. but alone knew we had separated
| was the last person known to be with
him. and was now arrested on suspicion
of his murder.
A search of the premises was immedi'
ately instituted. The watch was found
in the drawer in which | had placed 1t,
and lcas identified as the property ot the
murdered man. His horse. too, was
found in my stable. for the animal had
Just put there was none other. | recog-
nized it myself when / saw him in the
light.
What / said, know not. My confa
sion was taken as additional evidence
And when at length, did command Ian
guage TO give au inteiligible statement i,
was received with sneers of incredulity.
The mob spirit is inherent in man-at
least in crowds Of men. 1t may not al
ways manifest itself with lynching char
acter: But whatever its form, it is always
relentless, pitiless. cruel.
As the proofs of my guilt, one after an-
other. came to light, low mutterings,
gradually grew into clamor for ven
geance: aud but for the firmness of one
man-the officer who had me in charge
i would doubtless have paid the pen
atty of my supposed offence on the spot
1t was not sympathy for me that ac-
tusted my protector. His heart was as
hard as his office; but he represented
the majesty Of the law, and took a sort
of grim pride in the position.
As much under the glance OF his eye
as before the muzzle Of his pistol, the
cowardly clamorers drew back. Perhaps
they were not sufficiently numerous TO
feel the full effect of that mysterious reflex
influence which makes crowd OF men
so much worse, and at times so much
better, than any one singly.
At the end of some months my trial
came. 1t could have but one result. Cir
cumstances too plainly declared my guilt.
| alone knew they had lied.
The absence of the jury was very brief.
To their verdict / paid but little heed.
1t was single hideous word; but | had
long anticipated it, and it made no i'm
preston.
As little impression was made by the
words of the judge which followed it;
and his solemn invocation that God
might have mercy upon me which man
was too just to vouchsafe, sounded like the
hollowest of hollow mockeries.
1t may be hard for the condemned
criminal to meet death; it is still harder
for him who is innocent. The one, when
the first shock is over, acquiesces in his
doom, and gives himselfto repentance ;ths
heart of the other, filled with rebellion
against mans injustice, can scarce bring
itself to ask pardon of God.
Ihad gradually overcome this feeling,
in spite of the good clergyman's irrita-