National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1874-02-06

opinion, in the present case, any doubt
would be wholly unreasonable.
"When the jury brought him il
guilty, Obed turned pale, for u moment
though, on the whole, think he bor'
it better than did.
"What have you to say asked th,
Judge, why the sentence OF the Law
should not be pronounced upon you P
"Nothin', Obed answered 'only
you're goin' to send me, jedge, afor'
court as has got more sense, I hope
than this'n, an whar I'll git fair trial
even ef Squire Badger arn't thar tt
plead my case. .t .tl 10 =!
"The judge reproved him for hit
levity; and, after an exhortation to re.
pentance, which would have become
the mouth Of better man, old Paxwax
sentenced the prisoner to be hanged,
at the end of six weeks.
81 applied in vain for writ of errCr
and stay of proceedings. Equally in
vain I appealed to the Executive Glenn
ency. Governors of States are gener.
ally so much more just than the Great
Governor, that when it becomes ques-
ton Of mercy, the responsibility is
commonly shuffled off on the latter. 1,
"Obed sent me q message to come
and see him on his last night. He was
the only inmate Of the little log Jail,
with walls three tiers of timber thick.
"The jailer let me in and closed the
door upon me. It wasn't usual then,
as now, to keep close watch on con-
demned criminals to see that they
didn't anticipate their doom. If they
hanged themselves, it was so much
trouble saved.
"How do you feel, Obed p in
quired, taking his hand kindly.
"'Jest midlin', he answered. you
see I could stood it heap better if
Hettie hadn't come here to see me-
"'Die like man, I said there's no
help for it now.'
"I can't do it, he replied an
what's more, I tOon't.
"I looked at him in surprise.
"' You see this yer rope,' he con-
tinued Il made it out o'my bed.close
this afternoon, determined, ef I had to
be hanged, to do the job myself but
sence I seen Hettie, I've changed my
mind
"My astonishment increased.
"'A lawyer han't no right to peach on
his client, hez he p he asked.
"That was q question including sew
eral others, among them the important
one when the relationship referred to
might be considered ended.
AT any rate, ef you give the alarm
now, I'll kill you,' he said, quietly; and
before I knew, he had grasped my arm
with one hand, and placed the other on
my mouth.
"sYou must submit to be GAGGED,
he added, in the same firm, determined
tone.
"I felt that conscience didn't demand
the imperilling of my life. I saw that
Obed was desperate, and would stick at
nothing. I was, moreover, an infant in
his hands.
"He stuffed wad of something into
my mouth, and secured it by bandage
brought round and tied at the back of
my neck.
"Then compelling me to change
clothing with him, he bound me hand
and foot with the cord he had prepared,
and fastened me on his bed. Then bid
ding me good night, he tapped at the
door-my usual signal to be let out.
"I do not know it I would have
warned the drowsy jailer if I could, as !
heard Obed bid him good night in
my voice and walk away unmolested.
think was glad I could not; for I had
never more than half believed in
Obed's guilt, and despite the incon-
venience to myself, entertained Sc
cret hope that his plan of escape might
succeed.
"Of course, there was a hubbub
when the sheriff and his assistants came
in the morning. OF course, my expla-
nation proved satisfactory; and, of
course, it would have been carrying the
doctrine of representation by attorney
to an unwarrantable extent, to have
hanged me in my clients stead. There
were some who whispered that it was
thing between Obed and
myself but my professional standing
was sufficient vindication against such
q SANDER"
"Hal ha!' laughed an irreverent
junior.
The "death rattle" evoked by Mr..
Badgers last suck at his julep was the
only reply deigned to the young mans
lmpertlnence.
And what do you think of the case,
after alp" asked Bill Quipiey.
Oh, the truth came out at last
Ahab Grandy was paying me some
money, one day. Among the bank
notes he gavem me one peculiarly marked,
which I remembered having paid to
Enos Burdge, on the day he disap-
peared. I secretly procured warrant,
and had Grandy's house searched. The
result was the discovery of a number of
The murdered mans effects, among
Them watch he had worn for many
years, and which was readily identified. ,
When confronted with the proofs [
of his guilt, Ahab confessed that he
mad waylaid, robbed and murdered
Enos Burdge, after the latter had re. I
,cived the money for his land, and that {
he had buried the body at dead of /
night, where, if it should be found, j
suspicion would be likely to fall upon
another.
"Ahab Grandy was hanged in due [
lime and Obed Scott, who turned up
.fter season, was happily married to
Hettie Ward, who had never lost faith
n her lovers innocence, in spite of {
udge and ry."-Ledger. ,
A Case Of Better Days.
A lady has been reduced to abject
poverty at New Haven, and has been !
Ia A. A.