Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-03-20

nary examination came on before lustlc,
to determine whether there was suficier
evidence to hold John in custody until
grand jury of the county should be a.
sembled for the next court of Oyer and Tel
miner.
Three days were spent in this examina
ton before the justice the captain of tn
sloop who had overheard the quarrel in tn
night told his story, and the boatmen VIII
had found the body told theirs. Two me
who had been the crew of Johns little ves
sci were also called But they could te
little more than that they were absent o
shore upon the 4th of July, and when the
returned to the vessel William had gone
they knew not where nor why.
The evidence against John seemed to tn
magistrate clear and conclusive But tn
counsel for the accused (employed by John
mother) took the ground that as the Offenc
was committed in Canada. Justice in tn
United States had no jurisdiction in th
matter.
This view prevailed, and after five day
the accused was set at liberty But tn,
voice of the people, which the ancient prov
erb says is like the voice of God, had decided
that John was guilty. 1t was under thii
crushing condemnation that John and hi,
mother lett the country town on a colo
December day, turning their steps home
ward and at evening they climbed the nc
chylty 50 familiar to them, and reached the
lonely Lighthouse upon the mountain Theii
neighbors were glad to see them back
again, but were plain to say that ait ap.
peared like as if John was guilty. These
dwellers in the sOlitudes were accustomed to
speak truly what they thought John and
his mother too spoke openly of this matter.
1t was only Of showing affection and love
that these people were ashamed and shy.
they both admitted to their neighbors that
the evidence was very strong, but John
added quietly that he was not guilty, as il
that settled the whole matter.
But the voice of the people and n sense of
justice would not let this crime rest. 1t
came to be very generally known that man
guilty Of murder was living near the shore
Of Lake Champlain unmolested. Arrange
nentS were effected by which it came to
pass that the Canadian authorities made
formal application to the United States for
the delivery Of one John Wilson, believed to
| he guilty OF the murder Of his cousin Vii
liam Wilson.
And 81 again two officers, this time
United States officials, climbed up to the
| little Lighthouse upon the edge of the great
valley. Through 4 drifting, binding storm
Of snow they were piloted by neighbor to
the lonely house. They made known their
crrand, and in the course Of half an hour
the officers and their prisoner We're cut in
| the storm en- route for the distant city Of
Montreal
1t was many days before the mother saw
her son again. For four months John was
imprisoned, awaiting his trial before the
Canadian courts. Doubtless those four
months seemed long to the solitary woman.
She had not much opportunity to indulge
in melancholy faneies she spent much of
her time in pulling brush and wood out Of
the snow and breaking it up with an axe -
as TO adapt it to the size of her stove.
The neighbors tried to be kind. and Of
ten took commissions from her to the store
and the grist-mill in the valley " But
after all, said Pete Searls. one of Johns
friends, in speaking of the matter after
ward, what could neighbors amount to.
when the nearest of them lived mile away,
and all of them were plain to say that they
believed she was the mother of a murder
err
But the neighbors said the woman did
not seem 10 mind the solitude and the rough
work. Morning, noon and night she was
out in the snow or the storm at the little
hovel of barn back of the house. taking |
care Of two cows and few sheep which |
were hers and Johns. At other times |
travellers upon the wilderness road would |
see the gaunt, angular figure clambering |
down a rocky ridge, dragging poles to the |
house to be cut up for fuel.
She received two letters from John in the |
course of the winter. The first told her that |
he was imprisoned and awaiting his trial in
Montreal, and the next one said that his |
trial had been set down for an early day in
March.
This correspondence was all the inforna-
tion the mother had of her son, for the
lake was frozen during the winter, 50 that
the boats did not run, and no news could
come from Canada by the bOatmen
When March came and passed away with
out intelligence from John, it was taken by
the dwellers upon the lake shore and along
the Wilderness road as a sure indication
that he had been convicted of the crime
letter or newspaper announcing the fact
was confidently looked for by the neighbors
whenever they went to the distant post
Office for their weekly mail
As March went out, and spring davs and
sunshine came, it was noticed that the face
Of Johns mother looked sharp and white,
but she went about the same daily duties
as before, without seeming to feel i'll or
weak.
On plashy April day, full of sunshine.
She stood on the rocky ridge back of the
house, looking down upon the lake. A few
early birds had come back and were twit-
tering about the clearing. Although the
snow still fingered in patches upon the
highlands, the valley looked warm below,
and the first boats Of the season were dot
ting the wide, distant mirror of "old Cham
plain \ man came slowly up the muddy
line of road, through the gate, and around
the house; then first the woman saw him.
\ slight spasm passed over her face. There
was little pitiMl quiver of the muscles
about the mouth, and then she walked
slowly down the ridge to where the man
stood. She struggled little with herself
before she said, "Well. John. | am glad to
see you back"
John tried to be cool also, but nature was
too much for him. lie could not raise his
eyes to hers, and his simple response. 'Yes.
mother. - was chokingly uttered
The two walked into the house together
in the old familiar way; the woman with
out a word began to spread the table, and
her son went out and prepared fuel. and
bringing it in replenished the fire. Then
he sat down in his accustomed place by the
stove, with a pleasant remark about how
well the fire burned, and how good it seem
ed to he home again. And the woman
spoke a few kind, motherly words.
l. 81 . HI !
when John came back, but now there was n
grea: sadness in it, for he had came "from
prison" Jupiter seemed full to realize the
He exhibited none of that friski-
ness which characterized the welcome he
had usually given; but when John was
seated the old dog came slowly up to him,
laid his fore paws and his head in his mas
ter's lap and looked sadly in his face.
rs they sat down to supper, John began
to tell of his fare in the Jail at Montreal,
and to speak freely of his life there. "Will
you have to 60 back p said his mother with
that quiyer about her mouth again. "N0,
said John, lit is finished, and
am discharged -
After supper the story was told over
how Johns counsel had worked for him,
and how the judge had said there was not
sufficient evidence to convict of 50 great a
crime.
John continued from this time on through
the spring to live at home. He allowed his
sloop to float idly in the bay, while, as he
said, he himself rested The truth was, he
saw, as Others did not. that his mother had
carried a fearful weight, and now, when it
was lifted by his return, that the resources
of her life were exhausted. The change, |
not yet apparent to other eyes, was clear to
his vision. So it is that these silent spirits
read each other
As the warm weather advanced. the