Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-11-25

porting her. BY good luck we
have the open court just now in
session.
60 with us before thejudge and
he will decide the NATTER
AL further protestati0ns on the
officers part that he was poor, that
he was expected on duty, ard SO
forth did not help matters. Out
of respect for his uniform, and to
avoid an open scene, he had to go
with them to the court room,
where the gallery was densely
packed with a crowd of people,. N
After waiting some time the
lady had leave to bring her COM
plant.
what have you TO answer TO
this complaint p said the judge
turning toward the officer, who
seemed embarrassed and half ia
despair.
'Ol...o wnoie, very little. AS
the lateness of the hour, and be-
ing required on duty, compelled
me to hurry, / did not notice this
lady's train, which was dragging
on the ground. / caught one Of
my spurs in it, and had the mis-
fortune to tear the dress. Madame
would not receive my excuse. but
perhaps now she might find her
self more disposed TO forgiveness,
when / again declare, so help me
God, that / committed this awk-
ward blunder without any mis-,
chievous intention. and earnest
ly beg that she will excuse me-
A murmur ran through the gal
lie y, evidently taking side with
the defendant, and against long
trains In general and the lady in
particular. efs
The judge called to order, and
asked, Are you satisfied with the
defendants explanationp b F,
Not atall satisfied. / demand
two hundred rubles in payment
for the torn dress?'
Defendant, will. you pay this
sum?'
Il would have paid it long be-
fore this had l been in q position
to do SO, Unfortunately ] am
poor. My pay as an officer is all
/ have to live on
You hear, complainant, that the
defendant is not able to pay the
sum you demand of him, Do you
still wish the complaint TO stand?'
An unbrOken stiffness ran
throughout the hall, and the
young officers breath could be
heard coming hard.
II wish il to stand. The law
shall give me my rights"
There ran through the rows of
people a murmur of Indignation
that sounded like a rushing of wa
ter.
Consider, complainant, the
consequence of your demand The
defendant can be punished only
through being deprived of his
personal liberty, and by that you
could obtain no satisfaction, while
to the defendant it might prove
the greatest injury in his rank and
position as an officer who is very
poor and dependant upon his pay.
Do you still insist upon your COM
plaint.'
The course the affair was taxi
ing seemed to have become pain
full to the lady's husband. He
spoke with his wife urgently, but
as could be seen by the way she
held her head and the energy
which she shook it, quite useless
ly. The judge was going on to the
further consideration of the case,
when a loud voice was heard from
the audience:
II will place the two hundred
rubles at the service of the de-
fendant!'
Then followed a silence, during
which a gentleman forced his way
through the crowd and placed
himself at the young officers
side.
"Sir, / am the Prince W,
and beg you will oblige me by ac-
cepting the loan of the two hun.
dred rUbles in question"
"Prince, / am not worthy of
your kindness, for | don't know
if l shall ever be able to pay the
loan," answered the young man,
in a voice tremulous with emo
ton.
Take the money at all events.
l can waituntil you are able to re-
turn it, Thereupon the Prince
held out two notes of a hundred
rubles each, and coming close up
to him whispered a few words
very softly. There was a sudden
lighting up of the young officers
face, He Immediately took the
two notes, and turning towards
the lady, handed them to her with
a polite bow