The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-07-01


try. The country was new and popu
Iating rapidly and the field was invi
ting to enterprise. "A cOpartuershi
was formed, with Gen. Felix Huestou
who was to continue in Natchez, an.
Prcntiss was to go to Nicksburg.
IRENTIss' SPEEDY SUCCESS.
His practice soon became eXtensiv,
and his fame grew with it. Their
too, he found assembled Il galaxy o
talent and as noble 4 race Of men a
the world ever furnished. Soon ht
was the idol of the society Of the place
and though the excitement of part,
spirit divided the community it never
disturbed tho social relations Of Prem
tiss. There he found NcNutt, Henry
S. Foote and John Guion, all three OF
| whom were subsequently governors OF
the State. There, too, was Jefferson
Davis, Lake, BurWell, Joe Holt, Wal.
ker Brooke and Patrick Yhompkins.
The two latter were afterward mem.
bers Of congress. Guion, Lake, Brooke
and Thompfins We're Wings, so was
Prentiss Davis, AIcNutt and Eoote
were Democrats. This rivalry in poll
tics extended to Il rivalry at the bar.
Holt and Foote were::both deemed the
most eloquent men in the State and
were unrivaIed before jury.
Soon after Prentiss went to Eicks-
burg he was employed in a suit brought
by him against their step-mother in
Which a large amount of money was
pending Prcntiss represented the
heirs. Holt appeared for the widow
and stcp-nother. The case had been
declined as hopeless by other members
OF the bar. The amount involved and
rf bn o~ti1
the ability of the advocates, attracted
general attention and the attendance
upon the trial was large. After the
testimony had closed Holt opened the
case to the jury in one OF his finest et-
forts. He was an able man and his
cloqucnce would have been most etfec-
tive had it come from his heart it
was from his lips alone. Ills words
were brilliant but icy and fell coidly
upon the ears of the jury, which con-
sisted mainly Of sensible and conscien-
tous men. In the midst of Hollis adj
dress Quitman, who was seated by
Prentiss, whispered to him tYou
destroy before this jury the i'm
preston Holt is making combined with
the presence of the widow, who sits
near him.
"Nait, watt" said Prcntiss. "Be-
meath that meek face and black gown
is as viliainous a heart as ever womsn's
bosom bore and [ mean to unvcii it,"
\ SC-tTiIINC; SPEECH.
lie rose to follow Holt. In the
opening OF his address to the jury he
gave brief history of the deceased !
husband and of the living widow !
hen present. For every action he gave |
he motive. So searching was this |
statement that the widow WINGED, and |
everyone save the jury was seriously |
impressed by this statement. Then |
ollowed his peroratson, which was as |
much addressed to the court and audi
'nce as to the jury. / received the ac-
'ount from John a. Quitman, who
vas present and "a close observer of the |
He said:
:'1 never witnessed such consum-
nate skill in the management of a case.
never heard from mortal lips such |
''oIucncc as burst from his in the
hirty minutes of his conclusion. Such |
vas; its effect upon the widow that she |
"ooneu away and was supported by /
Ter attorney, who called for water.
rs 1T Was being sprinkleu upon her
'allid features and life returning Prem
lss, who had suspended his remarks,
urncd to Holt and said: 'Ies, baptize
ler back to life and pray God to make
Ter repcntant sinner and fill her
icart with the conviction OF sin and
he determination to do justice to the
'rphans entrusted to her care and that /
he may when finally she swoons in
leath be prepared to meet III eternity,
With white and purified spirit, that
If tho mother Of these innocent and
dependent orphans"
"That is cruel, Mr.. Prcntiss," said
he Judge.
"i know it, your Honor" he re-
'licI, "but cruelty is sometimes kind
less. 1t is cruel to paint to the sinner
he horrors of hell, but it is kindness
[ it wins him to heaven. 1t is cruel
II the surgeon to cut away the gangrc-
lous limbs, but it is Kindness if it pro-
crves life. 1t may be crEci to expose
he horrors Of moral turpitudc, but it
$ Kindness if it awakcns sense Of
lstice and Il determination to right
he wrong and live an honest life
is cruel when it awakcns
he wicked to their wickedncss,' he
aid, as he pointed to tho woman,
lowly recovering from her su-oon,
'and warns the sinner to sin no more.
low generously kind then this whis-
'cring monitor of the guilty hcart.'