Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1872-11-14

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muir was followed by loud unearthly
groan from solitary bosom, az Of
some one in mortal anguish. All eyes
were centred on the stranger and all
were struck with surprise and wonder,
for his features writhed as If In torture
that his rain of tears could not as
suage But what could be the cause Cd
this sudden emotions Could there be
any connection between him, the appar-
entity rude hunter, and that fairy girl,
more beautiful than bosom Of sum-
mer, and countenancc celestial as q
star? eo
The Judge turned to the prisoner
Emma Greenleaf, the court has been
informed that your counsel, Colonel
Linton, is sick and cannot attend.
Have you employed any others'
! She answered in a voice sweet as the
warbe of the nightingale, Clear as the
song of the skylark -'My enimies have
bribed all the lawyers, even my own to
be sick; but God will defend the inno-
cent! ,9 *
At this response, so touching IN It's
| simple pathos, portion of the audit
ors huzzed applause and the rest wept.
On the instant however, the leather To-
| bed stranger, whose aspect had pre-
viously excited so much merrimeut, ap-
preached the prisoner and whispered
something in her ear She bounded
several inches from the floor, uttered a
wild shrek, and then stood pa'e and
trembling as if in the PRESENCE of a
ghost from the grave. Al, now, cou'd
perceive that there must be some mys-
ferrous connection between the two,
and the scene assumed the profound
interest of genuine romance The
stranger addressed the court in accents
as sonorous as the tone of the organ
''May it please your honor, I will de-
fend the legal rights of the lady"
"Whati' exclaimed the astonished
Judge, 'are you a licensed, attorney"
''The question is immaterial and IL
re'avant." replied the stranger with a
sheer, as your statute ehtit es any person
to act as counsel at the request of a
party" "But does the prisoner re-
quest it?' asked the Judge.
Let her speak for herself said the
stranger.
81 do" was her answer, as a long
drawn sigh escaped, that seemed to
rend her very heart strings.
"What is your name, it must be
placed on record 2" Intercepted the
Judge.
civilian Denton, said the stranger.
The case Immediately progressed.
We briefly etimose the substance of the
evidence. About twelve months pre-
viously the defendant had arrived in the
town, and opened an establishment of
millinery. Residing in small room
back Of her shop and all alone, she pre-
pared the various articles of her trade
with unwearied care and taste. Her
habits were secluded, modest and retir-
ing; and hence she might have hoped
to esacape notoriety, but for the perileus
gift of that extraordinary beauty,
which too often, and to the poor friend
less, proves curse. She was sought
after by those gay fire flies of fashion,
the business of whose life is seduction
and seduction and ruin. But the beau
tiful stranger rejected them all alike
with unutterable scorn and loathing.
Among the disappointed admirers
was one of a character of which the
fair milliner had every reason to fear.
Hiram Shore belonged to family once
opulent, influential, and dissipated. He
was himself icentious, brave and re-
vengeful, and duelist of established
and terrible fame. 1t was generally
known that he made advances to win
the favor of. the lovely Emma and had
shared the fate Of all her other woers-
disdainful repulse. .f.
At nine o'clock on Christmas night,
1853, the people of Littse Rock were
startled by scream as some one in
mortal terror; while following that, with
hardly an interval, came successive re-
ports of firearms one, two, three-a
dozen deafening explosions. They flew
to the shop of the milliner whence the
sound emanated, and pushed back the
unfastened door. A dreadful scene was
presented. There stood in the centre
of the room, with revolver in each
hand, every barrel discharged, her feat
ures pale, her eyes flashing widely, and
her lips parted with an awful smile.
And there at her feet, weltering in his
blood, his bosom Utterly riddled with
shot, lay the all-dreaded duelist, Hiram
Shore, gasping in the last agony. He
articulated but a single sentence.
''Tell my mother that / am dead and
gone, and instantly expired. II.
'1n Gods name who did this?' ex-
claimed the appalled, spectators.
81 did it said the beautiful milliner
in her sweet sisvery accents. 81 did it
to save my honor"
Such brief abstract of the essential
circumstances, developed the examina-
ton of the witnesses. The testimony
closed and the pleadings began.
First of all, Fowler, Pike and Ashley,
CALI famous LAWYERS at that time in the
southwest) spoke in succession for the
prosecution: They about equally par
titioned their eloquence betwixt the
prisoner and her advocate, covering
the latter with such sarcastic wit, raillery
and ridicule as made it doubtful whether
he or his Client was the party ON trial.
As to Dentops however, he seemed to
pay not the slightest attention to his
opponents, but remained motionless,
with his forehead bowed on his hands
like one buried in deep thought or in
deep thoughts OF in slumber:: .ia
When his time came; however, he
suddenly sprang to his feet, crossed the
bar and took a position almost touching