Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-05-04

In the UfSG place, III see MoSSrS.
Mangle & Meek, / said, "Mr. |
Mangle may be brought to hear
reason, after all-if he can only be
made to see to his interest in it,"
The pale respondent face cheered |
up a little. Ny words seemed to |
have inspired a sort of underlined /
hope which was far from feeling |
myself.
Mr.. Mangle received me with
stony politeness.
Young man, his manner said, |
"don't waste time in appeals to SEN
timent; you won't if you'll only |
just look at me.
/ took the hint and came at once
to business, repeated Gilbert's offer,
and put it as strongly as possible
that more was to be gained by
leniency than harshness-all of /
which Mr.. Mangle listened to with
a conscientious scowl.
!" cannot be party to COM
pounding felony, = he answered,
with a solmn information.
Nor have 1 asked you," l re-
piled, not a little nettled. "I have
merely mentioned a plan of paying
back your own, leaving it to your
generosity to press or not to press
this prosecution"
ooh it's all the same" was the
cOntemptous rejoinder-''anybody
| but a lawyer, with a head full of
quibs and outlets, could see that.
| Besides, there's something rather
cool in the proposal to retain your
friend in our employ, under pre-
tence of working out the money he
has stolen, with the opportunity of
! filching twice as much in the mean
time"
/ felt my temper rising, and not
caring to imperil my clients inter-
ests by an outright quarrel, | took
hasty leave.
Had l been in the prisoners place
on the morning fixed for the trial,
| could hardly have assembled the
court house steps with more reluc-
lance than l did. And when 1 en-
tered the courtroom, and found
George and his wife already there
and noted the hopeful look with
which the latter greeted my COM
ing my heart sickened at the thought
of the bitter disappointment COM
ing.
1.-THE People VS. Gilbertp called
out the judge, after disposing of
some formal matters.
A jury was Immediately empan-
elled, and the case opened by the
district attorney.
Mr.. Meek was the first witness.
The nervous, hesitating manner in
which he gave his evidence would
have greatly damaged its effect,
had it not evidently arisen from a
disposition to do the prisoner as lit
tie hurt as possible. But no soften
ing could break the terrible force of
the facts he was compelled to re-
late.
In his partners absence he had
employed George Gilbert as clerk;
had found him competent and
trustworthy; had sent him on
trip to make collections on his re-
turn he had acknowledged that,
after receiving a considerable sum,
heWas induced bya pectable look
! ing gentleman, with whom he had
casually fallen in, to join in social
game of cards, at first they played
for amusement, then for money,
and after losing all his own, in the
hope of retrieving his loss, with the
fatal infatuatiOn which attends the
first infection Of that dreadful vice
whose end is swift destruction, he
had hazarded and lost the last dol
lar of the money he held in trust
for his employers.
Mr.. Meek's voice faltered as he
closed his narrative. He was going
on to volunteer something about the
prisoners previous good character,
/ when a disappearing glance from
Mangle brought him to halt.
/ Just then the prisoner CHANGED to
turn his head, and catching
| glimpse Of the senior partner, who
had Just entered and was standing
among the crowd, he started quick
| ly, then whispered hurriedly in my
! ear.
"Turn aside your face" [ whis-
pered. And the case for the prose-
cutiOn being closed
"Have you any witnesses for the
defense?' inquired the Judge.
" l will call Hezekiah Mangle," I
replied.
A buzz ofsurprise greeted the an
nOuncement, in the midst of which
Mr.. Mangle stepped forward and
was sworn.
'You have been absent for the
last year, Mr.. Mangle?'' l began.
81 have"
Travelling in different parts ?''
| eyes, sir"
1.-The prisoner was employed by
your partner in your absence, and
was arrested about the time of your
/ return ?"
"Such was the case"
Have you ever seen him."
"NOt to my knowledge"
| "Or met him in your travels :"
eff he will turn his face this way
I can tell better"
At my bidding Gilbert turned
and faced the witness.
The effect was electrical. Mr..
Mangle turned pale and red by
! turns.
Zone other question Mr. MangIe,"
/ resumed. "DO you recognize in
the defendant a young man from
| whom you won thousand dollars
at poker while on your travels ?'
| and l named the time and place at
which the prisoner had met the
misfortune.
The man of iron virtue hesitated
worse than his more amiable part
ner had done. He was hating be-
tween a point blank lie, which
might entail the penalty of perjury
and the truth which would cost
| him money.
Cowardice performed the office of
conscience, and the truth came out.
The firms money which George
Gilbert had lost, had been won by
the senior partner; and the court
instructed the jury, that, as thesum
in question had actually been de-
| livered over to one of the joint own
ers, who was bound to account to
his associate, the prisoner could not
! be convicted.
"God bless you, Mr.. Parker !"
faltered the happy little wife. Il
knew you would bring us out all
right"
1t was evident her trustful wo-
mans nature gave me all the credit
of a result on whose achievement
my share had been next tOnOthing.
The lesson was not lost on George
! Gilbert. His first false step was the