The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1878-09-19

circumstances pointed to the prisonorG
guilt with aniailing certainty.
The recursAnt jaror bad stood out from
the lfsi. lie acknowledged the cogency
of The proofs. confessed bic Inability TO
/ reconcile the fact with the defendants in.
B0eebes, sud yet, on every vote, went
steadily for scquitlAl, His conduct was
/ iueIplicAble II could not result from q
( lack Of intelligence for while be spoke
! bat little, bic words we're well chosen,
aud eyineed thorough understanding OF
Z the cast.
Z Though sliI 10 the prime OF manhood,
/ bis locks were premAturely white, aud
bis face wore a singulaEly sad and
thoughtful expression. He might be one
Of those wbo entertained scruples IS to
the right OF society to infliet The death
peualty But no, Il was not that; for 10
reply to such 3 suggestion, be frankly al.
mitied that brutal men, like the vicious
brutes they rusemble, must be controlled
4 through fear and that tho dread Of death
the supreme terror, is, iu many cases, the
only adequate restraint.
At the prospect Of another night Of
fruitless Imprisonment we began TO grow
impatient and erpostulsted warmly
against what seemed sn unreasonable
captiousness, and some not overland re-
marks were INDUCED IN as TO the impro-
priety OF triaiBg with an oath like that
under which we were acting.
And yet, the man answered, as though
commuuing with himself rather than re-
peliug the imputatou, II is conscience
that binders my concurrence IN verdict
approved by my Judgment.
How eau that be! queried several at
once. Conscience may not always dare
to follow judgment,
But here she can know no other guide.
would have said the came,
And what has changed your opinou2
Experience
The speakers manner was visibly agi'
tated, and we waited in silence the ex.
planation which he seemed ready to give,
Mastering bis emotion, as If in answer TO
our look of inquiry, he continued:
Twenty years ago | was young man
just beginning life. Few had brighter
prospects and none brighter hopes. An
attachment, dating from childhood, had
ripened with its objects, There had been
no verbal declaration aud acceptance OF
loVe-uo formal plighting of troth; but
when took my departure to seek home
in the distant west, 1t was a thing under
stood that when had found II aud put it
/ in order she was TO share IL. Life in the
forest, though solitary, is not necessarily
lonesome. This kind of society afforded
| by nature, depends much on ones self.
As for me, live more in the future than
In the present, aud hope is an ever cheer.
fu companion. At length the time came
for making the final payment on the
home which | had bought. 1t would
henceforward be my own; and in a few
more months my simple dwelling, which
had spared no pains to render inviting,
would be graced by its mistress.
At the land office, which was some
sixty miles off, met my old friend,
George c.. lie, too, had come to
seek his fortune in the West, and we
were both delighted at the meeting. lie
brought with him he said, a sum Of
money which be desired to invest in land
on which ii was his purpose to settle.
| expressed n strong wish to have him for a
neighbor, and gave him cordial invita-.
tion TO accompany me home, giving it as
my belief that he could nowhere make a
better selection than in that vicinity. lie
readily cou, ented aud we set out together.
We had no, ridden many miles when
George Suddenly recolecled commis-
sion be bad undertaken Tor friend,
which would require his attendance at a
public land sale on the following day
Exacing promise that be would not
delay his visit longer than necessary, aud
having given minute directions AS TO the
route, | continued my way homeward,
while he turned back.
was about retiring to bed on the night
OF my return, when summons from
without called me 10 the door. A strsn-
ger asked shelter for himself and bis
horse for the night. invited him In.
Though a stranger, his face seemed not
unfamiliar. He was probably one of the
men had seen at the land office, place
at that time much frequented, Offering
him & seat, | went 10 see to his horse
The poor animal, a. we'll as ] could see
by the din starlight, seemed TO have been
hardly used. His painting sides bore
witness OF mereiless riding, and tremu-
lous shrinking at the slightest touch be-
tokened recent fright. On re.entering
the house found the stranger wss not
there. His absence excited no surprise,
be would doubtless soon return. IL was
little singular, however, that be should
have lett his watch lying on the table.
4 At the end OF half sn hour, my guest
not returning, | went again 10 the stable,
thinking be might have found his way
thitber 20 give personal attention to bis
hofse. Before going ont, from mere
force OF habit-for we were As then unin.
tested by either thieves or policemen
took the pfecaution Of pattiug the stran.
gers wAlch Ia = drawer 10 which keep
my valuAbles. ! found The horse al had
lei, him and gave him The food which be
wac nov sufficiently cooled to eat; but
his master was nowhere TO be seen. A,
approached the house 5 crowd Of men
on horseback dashed op, aud was com