The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1878-04-11
THE yOLUNTEER COUNSEL.

THE VOLUNTEER COUNoEA.
John Taylor was licensed, when Q
youth of twenty one, to practice at the
bar. He was poor but we'll educated,
and possessed extraordinary genius
He married beauty who afterwards de-
serted him for another.
On the 9th of August, 1S41, the Court
house at Clarksville. Texas. was crowd
ed to overhowing. An exciting case
was to be tried. George Hopkins, a
wealthy planter, offered gross insult
to Mary Allison, the young and beartl-
full wife of his overseer. The husban 4
threatened to chastise him for the OUT
rage. when Hopkins went to Allison &
house and shot him in the door. The
murderer was arrested and bailed to an
swer the charge. The occurrence produc-
elsercat excitement, and Mr.. Hopkins,i III
order to turn the tide of popular lndig-
nation, had circulated reports about liel
character and she sued him for slandei
Both suits were pendiug-for murder
and for SANDER.
The interest became deeper when II
was known that Ashley and Pike, oi
Arkansas, and S. S. Prentiss, OF New
Orleans, by enormous fees had been re,
tained to defend HOPKINS. Hopkins
was acquitted. The Texas lawyers
were overwhelmed by their opponents.
II was fight of dwarfs against giants.
The slapder suit was ready for trial.
and the throng of spectators grew N
number, as in excitement. rupiic
opinion was setting in for Hopkins; his
money had procured witnesses who
served his powerful advocates. When
.1,o s.aatter caso oouIo~"P, "''0 es'
without en attorney-all had Withdrawn.
"Have you no couusel?" inquired
Judge Mills, kindly of the plaintiff.
"No, sir, they have all deserted me-
ana am zoo poOt ~ S"PoJ J
renlied the beautiful Mary, bursting into
tears.
"In such case, will not some chivai-
rous member of the profession volun-
teer?" said the Judge glancing around
the bar.
The thirty old lawyers were silent.
II will, your HONOR said n voice
from the crowd behind the bar.
His clothes looked SO shabby that the
court hesitated to let the case proceed
nnder his management.
"das your name been entered on the
rolls of the State?" demanded the Judge.
"It is immaterial," answered the
stranger, his thin, bloodless lips cnrl-
~, with n sneer. Here is my license
from the highest tribunal in America,
and he handed the Judge broad
parchment.
The trial went on. He suffered the
witnesses to tell their own story, and
allowed the def ,nce to lead off. Ashley
spoke first followed by Pike and Pie2-
tiss. The latter brought down the
house in cheers in which the jury joined.
It was now the strangers turn.-He
rose before the bar, not behind 1t, and
so near the wondering jury that he
could touch the foreman with his long,
bony finger. He proceeded to tear to
n;eces the argument of Ashley, which
melted away at his touch like frost be-
fore n sunbeam. Every one looked sur
nrised. Anon he came to the dazzling
wit of the poet lawyer Pike. Then the
curl of his lip grew sharper, his smooth
face began to kindIe mp, his eyes TO OPP
en- dim and drear no longer. but vivid
as lightning, red as fireglobes, and
plariup as twin meteors. The whole
soul was in his eyes; the full heart
streamed out of his face. Then, with
ont any illusions to Prentiss, he turned
short round on the perjured witnesses
of Hopkins, tore their testimony into
shreds, and hurled into their faces such
terrible invectives that all trembied
like aspens, and two of them He'd from
the courthouse. The excitement OF the
crowd was becoming tremendous.
Their united life soul seemed to hang
upon the burning tongue of the stran-
ger, and he inspired them with the
power of passion. He seemed to have stol
Ell natures long hidden secret atrac'
tion.
But his greatest triumph was yet to
come.
His eyes began to glance OF the assas-
sin Hopkins, as his lean, taper fngers
assumed the same direction. He en-
closed the wretch within wall OF
strong evident and impregnable argu'
ment, cutting off all hope OF escape
He dug beneath the murderers fee
bitches Of dilemmas aud held mp tnt
slanderer to the scorn and contempt o.
the populace. Having thus girt nm
about with a circle OF fire, he strippee
himself to the work of massacre
Oh! then it was vision both glorloni
and dreadful to behold the orator. hi
actions, too. became as impetuons a.
the motions Of an oak ir hurricane
H;a vo;ca hecane trumpet filed will