The daily gazette., 1875-06-02

IT will, to the best ofmy knowledge
she is my daughter" .....
"Can you swear to her identitys"
II can"
"What is her age."
"She was thirty years old on the goth
of April"
"When did you see her lasti"
cat her own house about fortnight
age."
"When did you last see her previous
to that meetingp"
The plaintiff hesitated-a long pause
ensued-the question was repeated and
the answer at length was
"'On the 14th OF May, IT."
when she was just three weeks old"
added Burr. Gentlemen" continued
he. turning to us, Il have brought this
such, | think, she is. The plaintiffs
counsel has pleaded eloquently in behalf
OF the .bereaved husband who escaped
the perils OF the sea, and who returned
only to find his home desolate. But who
will picture to you the lonely wife bend.
ing over her daily toll, devoting her best
years to the drudgery of sordid poverty.
supported only by the hope of her hus-
bands returnl Who will paint the slow
progress OF heart sickening, the wasting
anguish Of hope deferred, and finally.
the overwhelming anguish which came
upon her when the last spark of hope
was extinguished and she was compelled
to believe herself widowp Who can de-
pict all this without awakening in your
hearts the warmes. sympathy for the
deserted wife, and the bitterest scorn
for the mean, pitiful wretch who would
thus trample on the heart of her whom
he had sworn to love and cherIshp We
need not inquire into his motives for
acting SO base part. Whether it was O.
love of gain, licentiousness or selfish in
difference it matters not; he is too vile
thing to be judged by such laws as gov
ern men. Let us ask the witness-she
who now stands before us with the
frank, fearless brow of q true-hearted
woman-let us ask which OF these two
has been to her fatherT'
Turning to the lady IN tone whose
sweetness was in strange contrast with
the scornful accent that had just char
acterlzed his words, he sought her to re-
late briefly the recollections Of her early
| life. A slight flush passed over her
proud and beautiful face as she replied:
my first recolections are Of small,
| ill-furnished apartment which my sister
and myself, shared with my mother.
She used to carry out every Saturday
evening the work which had occupied
her during the week, and bring back
employment for the following one. Saw
| ing that wearisome visit to her employ
er and her regular attendance at church,
she never left the house. She very often
spoke Of my father and his anticipated
return, but at length she ceased to mem
| tion him, though observed she used to
weep more frequently than ever. l then
Il thni1 pbf che wont hpna inc yva
for it sometimes happened that our only
1 support was bit OF dry bread; and she
| accustomed to sew by the light Of the
| chips which she kindled to warm her
| famishing children because she could
| not purchase candle without depriving
US Of our morning meal. Such was our
poverty when my mother contracted her
second marriage, and the change to Us
l was like a sudden entrance into para
| disc. We found home and a father"
She paused.
| Would you excite my own child
| against meY" cried the plaintiff, as he
impatiently waved his hand for her to
bo silent.
The eye of the witness flashed fire as
he spoke.
"You are not my fathery' exclaimed
| she yehemently. "What call you my
father! you who so basely left your wife
| to toll, and your children beRgars! Me-
yer! never! Behold there my father"
pointing to the agitated defendant, she
is the man who watched over my infan-
cy-who was the sharer of my childish
sports and the guardian of my inexperi-
enced youth. There is he who claims
my affections and shares my home; he
is my father. For yonder selfish wretch.
know him not. The best years OF his
life have been spent in lawless freedom
from social tics; let him seek somewhere
else for the companion of his discrepi-
tude, nor dare insult the ashes Of my
mother by claiming the duties of kim
dred from deserted children"
She drew her veil hastily around her
as she spoke, and moved back as it to
withdraw.
more to say. The words of the law are
expressed in the book before you; ths
words of truth you have just heard frem
woman's pure lips; it is for you to de-
eide according to tho requisition of ma
ture and the decree of justice"