The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-08-13
MIDDLEBURY, VT, AUGUST 49, $780,

nothing more to he done. Isaiah has
played the part assigned him in this
days programme. | ascertain this, and
leave.
/ went straight to his old mothers.
1 found her occupied in patching pair
OF trousers for one of her grandsons.
She was very quiet and down-hearted.
1 led the conversation gradually TO the
subject OF Isaiah. She put down her
work, and wiped away tear or two
L wud nebber lib troo il 'cept fur
one ting" she said. 81 feels 40 cole
an den, sez / ter myself, 'Dere is n God
dere Is n God an warns up, an has
enuff an ter spare. 1t don't last, ter be
sure, an l has ter preach ter myself
ober an ober agen, but while it las
feels 30 full OBJ de great / Am"
We talked over the trial. In fact, il
had occurred to me that her memory
might be called to the assistance Of
lsaiah's. She checked off the days of
the week of the murder, recalling the
incidents Of each one. Tuesday Isaiah
had had job of hauling to do; Wednes-
day-step by step she recalled the day.
just as Isaiah had done for Thursday, up
to 10 P. M, as he had described it.
Thursday was the day of the murder.
He had made rather more than usual
on Wednesday, and had gone quite early
on Thursday on the LOAF, which he al
ways constitutionally believed he had
earned after two days work. Aunt Lucy
took up her patching again at this stage.
She shook her head and her voice fell.
The melancholy fact was that Isaiah
had returned home early in the after.
rrr. ax. a. I'D
liquor that he had spent the rest of that
day, that night and half the next day
on n pallet in the corner of his old
mothers room. / saw how it was di-
rectly. His brain had remained hope.
lessly bemuddled ns TO the incidents of
that Thursday, and he had confused
them with those of Wednesday. Had
any one else seen himp l inquired, hope
fully. remembering the slender stream
OF custom that, nevertheless, never qnite
fell off. In fact, Aunt Lucy named
three or four persons who had been in
and out for needles and thread while
Isaiah lay there. AS we spoke, one of
these very persons happened in oppor-
tunely. 1 stated the position to her,
and sue readily recalled its having been
as Lucy related.
I" rs been a-studyin' dis myself, miss,
! has. Sez I, how kin dis var Isaiah
hab cut dis var white gemman tire
pieces, when he is a-lyin', so ter speak,
drunk in his ole mudder's shop all dc
timer No, sar, sez l. Cotch Isaiah
Carol doin' sech ting as dat! l seen
him lyin' dar in dat ar cornerIarter dark,
Thursday, myself. Isaiah Carroll, what's
more, wudn't hurt fly. l knows de
boy well. 1t are altogether different
Uni a1A r..
when she heerd he war arrested, she
say .herself, Dat husban' OBJ mine
allays war wuthless Niger But
Isaiah bore no sech character"
Fortified with what I had heard, l
proceeded to communicate with the
lawyer who was undertaking to defend
Isaiah Carroll. 1t happened that the
name of this gentleman was familiar to
me. had seen him once or twice at
crOquet parties on our lawn. In re-
sponse to a message sent him through
my brother, he presented himself at our
house. l gathered directly that he was
defending Isaiah from sincere persua-
sion of his innocence. ut seems he
had seen me here" Mr.. Ordway let fall,
when he was walking around in the
garden. l recognized him on this hint
rs prOtege of yours, and ! made I'D
my mind to get him off if could. Now
for the facts, if you please"
/ gave them to him, waxing diffuse,
fear, according to my sex's failing. But
he listened thoroughly. AS he left, he
said. with little laugh. Your cham
pionship makes me feel that / shouldn't
mind being this poor fellow myself"
He had odd, resolute, searching eyes,
which he fixed on mine as he spoke.
His intent gaze gave me the strange
feeling of only having just made his ac-
quaintance.
That is about all there is to tell OF
Isaiah Carroll. Mr.. Ordway helped
him to prove a clear alibi, although
the delinquent had the grace to be sim
cerely mortified as to the manner of it.
His old mother herself was put on the
stand. She gave her testimony with
distinctness, albeit with agitation. The
prosecution dealt gently with her, even
when she repeated twice that % Isaiah
war allays punctual boy "-meaning
a boy to be relied upon in the long
run.
] am proud to say that Isaiah never
fell into bad company after this. The
two other wretched men, his fellow
prisoners, were convicted of the mur-
der, and sentenced TO death. 1t was
supposed that third party was impli-
Gated, but the proof of this was never
made clear.
What long sigh of relief / drew
when this narrow esca pc of my colored
friend was all overl Mr.. Ordway per-
sisted in calling it our case. 1 was
modest about it, however, and refused
to divide the credit with him. l will
tell as secret. however, that this was
not the last suit OF Mr.. Ordway's in
which / have taken Il warm and per-
sonal nterest.-Harper's Bazar.