The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-02-08
A PITILESS FOE.

There was sudden hush in the
crowded courthouse.
1t was followed by as sudden stir
stir so noticeable that the beautiful
prisoner at the bar all at once raised
her bowed head and looked around.
The first object on which her eyes
rested was the tall gaunt figure of a
woman in deepest black, making her
slow way, under care of court-officer,
to the witness-box.
Mrs. Siegristr' exclaimed the pris-
oner in suppressed tones, the words
rushing from her lips unconsciously in
the intensity of her establishment.
1.-THE last witnessf ran hurredly from
lip to lip as the spectators craned their
necks for better view of the rigid form
and forbidding face.
(Which side?-defence or prosecu-
tionPn were the next eager words.
"a fools queryna sneered some one.
There's been no defencei there can be
none! The girl has the face of an angel
and the heart of a fiend! She murdered
the poor old lady-sir, and nobody elsei
The jury might long ago"
A sudden call for silence ended the
sentence.
A few words had passed between the
officer and counsel, and the witness had
taken her stand.
Sine was sworn, her harsh, cold voice
penetrating the dead stiffness of the
court, as no voice there ever had be-
fore.
Her first words, at the conclusion of
that ceremony, sent loud murmur
through the surging crowd, and there
was another peremptory call for silence.
''That girl, Elmira TAFT" said the wit
ness. turning her cold grey eyes on the
paliid prisoner. and pointing long
black-gloved finger in the same direc-
ton, s.that girl is innocentH'
She paused till the commofion had
subsidized, and then, in the same chill,
Unconditional tone, proceeded. the girls
wide eyes fixed breathlessiy upon her
face:
'-She is innocent, and j am guilty.
killed Mrs. Vesey! / killed her, and l
would do it again.
Again the witness paused till the wild
uproar was silenccd.
Icily rs before she resumed:
Il intended the guilt to fall upon the
girl; but she is young and / am old.
Life is sweet To her; it is gall and Bit
terness to me. Let her live; I will die,
but-but not by the hangman's hands!''
She smiled those last words chilling
". and then stopped. united her bonnet
strings, and took it off
More severe, more forbidding than
ever, she sat there, her grey hair, loos-
ened by the act, streaming, white as
snow. in thir fiossy veil about her
neck.
Years ago." she paused in unchang-
I'D accents, Il was Mrs. Vesey's house
keeper. / had son; Mrs. Vesey had
laughter. My son was her confidential
steward; Annabei Vesey was her idol.
girl-was as beautiful as
dream, and ass She checked her
self hastily, resuming: Never mind
hat she was like-the end will show.
ut happened that my boy set his
leart on the exquisite lily face. Annabel
saw it and encouraged it. The mother
aughed at the boys folly and the girls
charming coquetries. She-the mother
knew and / knew that Annabel would
Is soon mate with common collier as
ny handsome boy. And yet-and yet
he was her peer-Heaven knows, he |
vas her peer!n
She rung out those few concluding |
words in voice shrill with defying an
,uish. and then suddenly controlling |
Ter emotion, resumed, icily as at first:
he might have welded dushsssI