Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-09-11

Dut ain Oh my Trial, anu you have noi
answered my question. Do you consent
that shall relate here the purport of our
conversation p
&c I do not consent.
''Then my lips are sealed, and wisely
sealed. for more fitting time will come.
l went, then, to the market.place and met
Bertha Christof. Cut off from human
companionship and sympathy it was habit
of hers to seek companionship and sympa-
thy from an image of marble. Even the
cold stone was kinder to her than those
among whom she bad been reared, for she
talked to it, and confded her griefs to the
inanimate ear, and believed that the mar
bic lips uttered words of love to her bruised
heart. | did not undeceive her-not it
was sweet and comforting delusion, so
allowed her to rest in it. We contracted
a friendship that night, which has
lasted till to-day, which will last
till we draw our last breath. She
would have fled from me had l been
like other men, but my hump served me a
good turn for once. Everything has its
use. She paid me doubtful compliment.
You are not a man, she said, for you do
not speak as others do And yet spoke
no word to her that did not express SYM
pathy She looked upon it as strange that
there were people in this isle who abhorred
me (her own words, and that | was the
only one who had given her kind word
since her baby died. She asked me so
many questions, without giving me time to
answer them, and disclosed to me so much
that was sorrowful, that I was drawn ire
sistibly to her. She took me to the grave
of her baby, and l left her kneeling by
it, and kissing the earth, and whisper
ing to her child. We met again, and
then she contided to me her story. 1t was
pitiful pitiful If my heart was ever
inclined to you, the story l heard was suf-
fcient to draw me back. You have your
laws, and you measured out justice to this
poor woman because she had sinned in err
ror. You forgot-you forgot that mercy is
the divinest quality of earthly justice
Would you believe that the ignorant child
found fault with your priests who, telling
her in words that God is love, strove to
prove to her by their action that He
is hate? As for her father, let him not
hope that by fasting and prayer and isola-
ton, he can escape Divine condemnation
for his guilt. Let him listen now to what
his daughter said to me stranger, out OF
the deep tribulation of her suffering soul.
She had fantastic idea that she and the
marble image of Evangeline would know
each other better in the spirit land. Then
she would have her baby in her arms
again, she said in the fullness of her love
and hope. And when in that land her
father should say to her, Come to me,
my daughter, all is forgiven = she might
reply, Had you been merciful to me, my
baby might have lived, and / should not
have been condemned to wander night
after night and day after day from valley
to valley, from field to field, in search of
a kind look or word Let him think of
those words, when from this Court he
goes back to his solitudes. What happened
between Bertha Christof and myself after
that? The friendship we contracted was
by time, and we met again
and again. 1t is my happiness to know
that I was a solace to her, and that in all
likelihood 1 prevented her from falling
into utter despair. address you as your
equal, being at least that. I hold land in
your isle, and have right to live upon it
as long as it pleases me. have done
nothing to entitle you to. deprive me
OF my right. If you desire further
reason for the intimacy between me
and the woman upon whom you would
cast mantle of shame, can supply it.
Within my freehold lies the only spot of
earth this woman loves, the only memory
upon which she feeds her soul. The grave
of her child is there, unconsecrated by
priests, consecrated by mothers love.
That grave is her hope, her church, her
refuge, her religion The innocent dust
that lies beneath the earth is witness of
her purity. And for myself" said the
hunchback, with SO much feeling that there
was sweetness in his voice, there lives
upon the isle one whom / love SO dearly
that no allurement or temptation could
WOO me to degrading act. Bertha
Christof stands before you wronged and
sinless woman, pure as when l first met
her. She is my sister,, her brother, to
whom the preservation of her honor is
sacred trust. Do you know the signs of
innocence? Look in her face, and behold
them F."
His hearers were much moved and
wholly convinced, and the President of the
Court was about to speak in terms of
acquittal of the charge which had been
brought against him, when Rant by a
motion restrained him.
"There sits man." he said, pointing to
Daniel Christof, with blood upon his soul.
When you regard the guilty with COM
passion and the innocent with aversion, as
you have done this day, by what sophistry
can you justify yourselves?"
Daniel Christof, with trembling steps,
advanced in the direction of his daughter.
" Bertha !" he cried, holding out his
hands towards her.
Rant fell back.
Bertha again cried the old man,
"come to me Forgive me !"
But she turned from him, and stepping
to the hunchback's side, took his hand in
hers, and firmly held it for protection.
Your father calls you" said Rant,
gently.
81 have no father" replied Bertha 81
have only my child !"
Daniel Christof looked around for pity
y