The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1881-07-06

OF the store, made o complaint,
charging Henry with the crime Of
larceny and burglary. Heary was
arrested and committed to Jail, for a
hearing, as he would;not or could not
give any satisfactory explanation
about the handkerchief,
+ Thus the case stood, when one
evening, as / was. seated in my office,
c6mmuning with my own thoughts,
Eheard a light knock at my door; /
opened it, and a pretty young girl
eatered and inquired if was The
lawyer who cleared persons accused
ofscfime. Itold her / was lawyer,
and that | sometimes defended per-
sons on criminal charges, that is,
when was perfectly satisfied that
they were innocent (?). "But he is
innocent" she replied, with emotion;
"heinever committed a crime in his
life;,h is an honest, good young man,
and would not do a mean thing"
Poorchifd, | thought, what pity
it's that your idol is made of clay.
! gave her seat and inquired who
the person was who was SO fortunate
as to.enlist the services ofso effective
an advocate in his behalf.
!"Was he brother?"
"No," she answered; he is no rela-
tioh 10 me; and her beautiful lips
quiyered, while a blush, red as the
hue Of the morning, stole eover cheek.
a"Why do you feel so much inter.
ested in one accused Of crime, and
who is no relation to you?" l in.
quired, with a malicious satisfaction,
iwhenI remembered that | was get
ting old. and had lost those charms
for which l was so eminent in my
youth(?).
aWho.is he?" l again inquired, as
she hesitdted to answer my former
questions. :ts. -
"Henry d., Of the town of s.,
and he is accused Of robbing store,''
she replied at length, "but he is not
guilty, / know he is not. 1t cannot
be possible he would do such a thing"
Is he the son of. David D., my old
friend and schoolmate, who died n
few years ago?" l asked.
"Yes," she said, and then, in a
voice broken with sobs of anguish,
she related the occurrence l have
narrated. She further informed me
that his mother was living, but in
very feeble health, and that she did
not know Of the accusation against
her son; that the neighbcrs had taken
care not to let the terrible secret en-
ter her sick-room, for fear that it
would kill her; and, "Oh," said the
young girl, "Henry was always such
u good young man; he never drank
before the night of the ball in his
life. Oh, can you clear him?" she
asked, looking at me with such a
pleading expression of countenance
that, although | am not very suscept-
ible to such influence, it went direct.
ly to my heart, and >when she asked
me again if | could clear him, | was
ready TO say yes, most emphatically,
although | could not see how it was
to be done.
| went with her to the jail and
had an interview with Henry, a fine.
looking young man, whose open, in
gcnuous countenance gave the lie TO
the charge against him, no matter
what the circumstances might indi-
cate.
He told me he had never taken
half dozen drinks !of liquor in his
life, had no taste or desire for it, and
only drank on the night of the ball
because he was urged to drink by the
proprietor and number of his
friends. He said that after he be-
came intoxicated he did not remem-
Der what happened, but had an in
distinct recollection of cutting his
hand, and said it seemed like a dream
to him that himself and another
young man, who was also drunk,
went to Williams store and took the
goods. The young man he thought
was with him denied it, and Henry
would not tell his name, for, said he,
neither of us could have intended to
steal the goods. would not take
Williams whole stock as u gift. |
could not use them; they are coarse
and cheap and only intended for ca
nal-boat trade. But l am afraid l
took them, for the more l think of it
the more | seem to recollect it, yet |
never thought of it until the goods
were found, and my handkerchief
among them; then it seemed to come
to me like the recollections of half.
forgotten DREAM"
The young girl and myself left the
cell; that is, left first, and just now,
while think of it, l believe she re-.
mained behind a moment. Thought
| heard faint sound like an echo
from my young days. But l am
ready to testify in any court where
the question may become important
that l don't remember what it sound.
cd like. Perhaps it was the click Of
the door.latch on the floor Of prison.
cell; but no matter, only IL made me