The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-06-26


,ional,y shook aer head aud smiled as y IN. !.
When Henry Bennso = t y
seen her do this several times ne one .,s
Iost patsence aud TUNED on hes aornG.y y,
q ,IlIia. YOU don't seem TO agree Will ,., No
ahout your sisters DEATH be said, sook...s
hard at her. . Can you say anything 70 GU
tighten Us y B, .,..d J, on.
syered Julia, colorsug. ]. ). !, I
.sThen, do you imagine sne mas le s;s,, ln se
prsposeiy? What could make her WIS" w "
BRING this sorrow on US = r,,,h
- don't believe Mabe! was happy WIN
you!" replied Julia. coldly.
III.
Time assuages grief, for raen must WORK,
and no tribRlation falling Hpon man wno
Il NOT ne weak nature will PROSTATE ntfIs
for long. Henry Beuniea left his home IN
Rnsseii Square because its memories were
foo bi,ter. but he went 30 live 10 has cnam-
hers md rallied to his work at the bar. u IS
rractsae law in the rri58iual courts, ana the
habit M acquired OF working very hard 10
dr,s.e sorrow away began to earn ans eSccis
rionoi renown ia his profession he noo
.afwaTs been q successful pleaders Gas his
frouSle seemed to have had refining e1iec'
7,noa him. so that, iastead OF betDg a 4 ocular,
offen clustering advocate, who mace no
.scIyple to rant ior to bully Witnesses ne
became remarkable for his graSsty ano
.oi,;et "reminiscences. he was one OF
those LAWYERS who are said TO "naVe
the ear /" o. juries anS 3uGses' anu
IL was predicted that lac woain hiui'
self in due tssoe be elevated to Fne pehcp'
So If came TO pass that about sour years
after his bereavement Hcsry aSennioB, go
ing on the Home Circuit, was detained &c
defend a man accused OF accidentai hla!i'
slaughter. There was nothlng peculiar II,
the case mt its outset. but IN the course "
the trial the prosecution proclreo ln1ofo''e
ton tending to show that tue prisoner Wan
a desperate criminal, who had been cohflc'
ed OF uttering forged notes two years pre-,
yiousiy hut had escaped from prison, and
these facts had direct bearing on the charge
OF manslaughter, for il proved they woSld
demonstrate that the prisoner had lons
known the man whom he had killed, ana
that, fur from Staying him By accident, he
had executed decplyplanned murder,
Henry Bennion, whose client had been ou'
ON bail before the trial, had reckoncd on
an easy acquittal, aud OF course he qua hls
utmost to rebut the theory when tue pro-
secution had suddenly started; but after
the trial had been dragging on Tor seVera
hours. the counsel for the CroWn-a young
horr;ster OF no high status-rose and sald
NY lord. we contend that tue prisoner
wiI;ully d,stigured himself by scarli:g DIS
features with yitriol. l will now call TWO
witnesses as to his ideatitV-the landlady OF
the Iodcinc-house where he was arrested
fo,,r wears ago when charged with forgery
and the woman who was sentenced as DIS
accomplicc. and who is still undergoing q
sentence of five years penal seryltude al
Woking."
It was a hot summer afternoon, and the
court was denSely crowded. The blinds
had been pulled down to shut out tue not
sun. and there was but dim light, which
made the red robes of the Judge and the
scarlet uniform OF the sheriff stand out IN
bright relief. The atmosphere was sitting.
The first witness who appeared-the land
lady-had not much 10 say. she could not
identify the prisoner because Of bis sears,
and would like, said she, to hear his voice.
Henry Bennion objected, and the Judge
agreed with him that the prisoner ought not
to be made to speak.
swell" said the Crown counsel. excited
IL. "this witness has broken down, but
don't think the next will. The prisoner
was her husband or her paramount; at al
events. she was convicted under his
name. Cali Maria Burt"
Two policemen cleared the way through
the court for woman in blue check
dress aud an ugly poke-bonnet OF brown
straw, who was attended by wardress
from Woking. The convict was ushered
into the witness-boX. and the clerk OF ar
raiens was about to administer, oath 10
her when Henry Bennion, who had caught
sight OF her features, started up with tor
rent OF blood sufusing his face, and leaned
right across the solicitors table to get a
closer view OF her. " Great Heavcns!" he
was heard to falter. "Who is that woman
Mabel -" . .,... -.
The prisoner stood perfectly collected
II NAV have been that her IiDs twitched fol
moment, aud that in the glance which she
bent for an instant on the counsel for tho
defence there was fiash-iust a flash and
no more. Then she righted herself and
took the oath. "My name is Maria Burt
she said, calmly. 20.
"Now, tell me whether you know thai
man? said the prosecuting counsel, point
ing 10 the prisoner. ..-. 49,.
"I have never seen him before" she an
swered, after a minutes steady gaze at The
occupant ir the dock.
..Were you not convicted with hin
nearly four years ago Of uttcring forged
noteS?"
"Hc is an entire stranger to me-" re
'pcated the convict, quietly.
"Why, heavens, it is her voice. There
is no mistake about it'll" exclaimed Ben
MON, who had sunk back in his seat to heal
the prisoner speak, but now rose again, pal
lid and trembling. "Mabe, look at me
How is it you are there!"
"What is the matter?" asked the Judge
leaning forward il his aslonishment ant
reckoning Bennion to speak to him.
"My lord, it's my wifc!" gasped the bar
rister, and struggling forward TO leave hi
place, he uttered an awful wall and fel
across the solicitors table, scnselcss.
The trial was adjourned amid scene o.
indescribable confusion.
In the cell numbered Al y, in the Fe'
male Penitentiary at Working, Maria Burt
sat some hours later with her head buried
in her hands, and her hands and her elbows
resting on her little deal-table. 1t was q
dismal place that cell, with its whitcwashed
walls, red floor, and odor Of oakum, and the
prisoners who were Gagged in it looked
neither graceful nor pretty. Perhaps she
had been comely once, but four years OF
penal servitude had lent her gray, sickIy
complexion. Her hands were coarse and
wrinkied from occupation in the laundry,
and the locks of chestnut hair which pro-
truded under her white cap were short as
boys. a blue checked gown. thick
worsted stockings, and heavy-nailed shoes
formed her costume, which was covered
with number Of broad arrowheadS. and