The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-01-30
Romance of q Dust Barrel.

The honor and fortune of a lady once
hung upon the result of a law suit in
one of the New York courts. The most
important part OF the evidence in her
favor was in the contents of three let
tiers. She had put them away in hel
desk, but when she searched it the let.
ters were not to be found. They had
been stolen,
The lady's counsel informed her that
unless those letters could be produced
the case would go against her. The trial
came on, and on the morning Of the
third day the lady did not appear in
court. The counsel were annoyed, but
went on with the cross examination OF
the plaintiff, the lady's husband.
Suddenly the woman rushed into the
courtroom, and e1citedly exclaimed tc
her counsel, so loud that the court and
Jury heard her 81 have found them r
Examining the package she handed
10 them, the counsel found three old let
ters, which had been badly torn, but
were now skilfully patched together.
They were dirty and stained.
eff the court please" said the coun'
sci, "I now offer in evidence three let
ters, which, up to this moment, We
could not find"
"Let US examine them," said the
plaintiffs counsel. They looked at them
carefully, and then remarked to the
court {:
eve object to the admission of these
papers. They purport to be letters
written by some person, but they are 80
patched and pasted that there is no way
by which they can be identified as the
genuine letters"
eve propose, if your honor please,
10 show that. they were written by the
plaintiff, were lost, and found in q most
extraordinary manner" replied the
lady's counsel.
The court examined the letters, amid
the silence of the audience and the anx-
iety of the husband. "You may iden.
tify them" at last said the Judge, and
then offer them in evidence"
The plaintiff was again placed on the
stand.
Ibid you yer see these letters be-
fore? "
The witness hand trembled while he
held the letters, and his face grew
white.
cit is possible" was his hesitating
reply.
care they in your handwriting?"
cit looks like my writing"
care not the signatures yours?
1ool, 1i1,o NV rrifSnr
Have you any doubt that they are
your signatures ?"
He hesitated.
"Answer the question:" said the
court.
ct can't say that I have" he stam-
mered out:
"That b ALL"
The letters were admitted as evidence
and the woman's honor was saved.
Those letters had been thrown from
a waste-basket into a dust-barrel. A
rag-picker, while searching the barrel,
was attracted by the signatures. he
lead q few words. They excited his
curiosity. He searched for and found
all the pieces, and carefully put them
together, for he saw money in them.
One day he saw the same name in
the papers, and connected with the
lawsuit. He sought out the lady.
Providence leading him to her rather
than to her husband. She paid him a
good reward, and instantly fastened to
the courtroom.
The letters saved her from ruin. Few
of those who saw their exhibition in
court knew how she found them. But
to-day that rag-picker owns a paying
stall in one of the city markets, the re-
suit of his finding the pieces of three
old letters in a dust barrel Youths
To,,,,onSon