Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-03-27

partment, speeding away toward my des
, tination.
The carriage was full. Pipes exhaleC
their fragrance, the newspapers were
turned and fattened, and there was thai
leisurely kind Of morning conversation
that prevails among men going off on
an early train to their days work.
very soon discovered that | had fallen
among a party of barristers, and theiI
chief topic was peculiarly interesting
case which was to be finished to day a,
l.. assizes.
:" He must sum up against the prison.
err" said a gentleman with fat, ford
face and long sandy whiskers, who wore
a light overcoat and shepherds plaid
trousers. The defense was complete
failure and deserved to be-
at was certainly rather audacious," ,"
returned clean -shaven young man with
a double eye-glass, who sat opposite me.
{" But l don't like circumstantial evil
dence."
"All evidence is more or less circum-
stan,ial," answered he of the forid COM
pleNion; land this man is as clearly guilty
to my mind as If there had been half
dozen witnesses to stand by and see him
w tie deed. That is my opinion, Hey
wood and the oracle disappeared behind
his newspaper.
Feeling glad to discover any topic that
would divert my thoughts from their fore
bodings, addressed myself to Hey wood,
the young barristcr, with whom | had
slight acquaintance.
"You seem much interested in this
trial that is going on" said. May |
ask if you are engaged upon it :"
"No," he answered. But it is a
curious case. A man, clerk dismis-
sed from his employment is accused of
numbering the cashier Of the firm. All
the evidence against him is entirely
circumstantial; but the defense broke
down at the most critical point, and the
case certainly looks very black for the
prisoner"
The train was now Stacking its speed,
and there was general rising. rose,
too.
"Are you going to get out here ;" said
Mr.. Haywood, opening the door, as we
glided into the station. Have you
come down so early on business: -
"Ye-es," | said, wishing to goodness
| knew what the immediate business was.
Nothing very urgent, though" l added
half aloud, as | got out.
If you have the time to spare, you
had better turn in and hear the end of
the trial." said Haywood. The Court
will be crowded with ladies, no doubt,
but | can smuggle you into corner"
Not knowing what to do with myself
for the next two hours, accepted the
offer with gratitude. | was soon seated
in an obscure corner of dingy, ill-light-
ed, i'll ventilated court house, which
would have been ill.smelling, too, had it
not been for the scent waited from the
numerous ladies who were present. One
of these, buxom female who ought to
have known better, was just before me,
and blocked my view with an enormous
bonnet | could not see the prisoner
or his council, or even the clock over
his head, at which the people were
looking eagerly as the hour fixed for
the commencement of the trial ap-
preached.
At last there was stir and hustle,
caused by persons who were invisible to
me, then a call for silence, and, after a
few preliminaries, the summing-up COM
menced.
| listened the more intently because l
could see nothing. The clear, cold,
telling sentences cut deep in my con-
sciousness. How distinct and convinc-
ing it all was How all these minute
facts-the mute testimony of foot-marks
and the like, arranged and distributed
by that powerful intellect - grouped
themselves into the damning proof of
gull:
l cared nothing for the prisoner, and
had no personal interest in the trial but
my mind was wonderfully fascinated by
this tale of horror. At length the
weighty tones ceased, and murmur Of
relief and expectation ran through the
assembly. At this moment the woman
with the huge bonnet shifted her seat and
| obtained full view of the prisoner. l
started involuntarily. Where had / seen
that face before.
The jury returned, after a short alb
sence The verdict was guilty" ac-
companied with a recommendation to