New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1883-02-21
A P1r1lBss FOE.

A PITILEeS FOE.
There, was sudden hush In tho.
crowded courthouse. ra-., ss,r
It was followed by as sudden q stir
stir 40 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
Regtad was the tall gauHt agHFsa II :
woman in deepest black, making her
slow way, under care of a. court-ofiicer.
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 establishments IA
"The last witnessH' ran .hurriedly from
lip to lip as the spectators craned their
necks for q better:view Of therigids form
and forbidding face. ~
(Which sideP-defence or prosecu-
tionp" were the next eager words. SEQ
"a FOOLS querE!". sneered some one.
''There's been no defencel there can be
none! The girl has the face of an angel
and the heart ia fend! She murdered
the poor old. lady-sir. and nobody else!
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.
She, was sworn, her harsh, cold voice
penetrating. the dead stiffness. of the
court, as no voice there ever had be-
fore. e
Her first words, at the conclusion Of
that ceremony sent O. loud murmur
through the surging crowd, and fthero
was another peremptory call for silence.
''That girl, Elmira Tait," said the wit
ness, turning her cold grey eyes on the
pallid prisoner. and pointing a long
black-gloved finger in the same direc-
ton, .'that girl is innocentv'
She paused till the commotion had
subsidized, and then, in the same chill,
Unconditional tone, proceeded, the girls
wide eyes fixed breathlessly upon her
face:
''She is innocent, and am guilty! I
killed Mrs. Vesey! l killed her, and I
would do it again!'
Again the witness paused till the wild
uproar was silenced.
Icily as 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
teruess to me. Let her live; I will die,
but--but not by the hangman's handsp''
She smiled those last words chilling-
ly, and then stopped, united her bonnet
strings, and took it of:
More severe. more forbidding than
ever. she sat there, her grey hair, loos-5
ened by the act, streaming, white as
snow. in thin fossy veil about her
neck.
''Years ago." she paused in unchang-
ed accents, II was Mrs. Vesey's house,
keeper. I had q son; Mrs. Yesey had .
daughter. My son was her confidential
steward; Annabel Vesey was her idol.
She-the girl-was as beautiful AZ
dream, and as She checked her
self hastily, resuming: ''Never mind
what she was like the end will show.
1T happened that my boy set his
saw it and encouraged Il. The mother
laughed at the boys folly and the girls
charming coquetries. She -the mother
knew and l knew that Annabel would
as soon mate with q common collier as
my handsome boy. And yet-and yet
he was her peer-Heaven knows, he
was her peere'
She rung out those few concluding
words in voice shrill with defying an
guish. and then suddenly controlling
her emotion, resumed, Jelly as at first:
"He might have welded a duchess!
His abilities were of the highest order,
and a college education had fitted him
for any position. To be near his allur-
ing idol he accepted that of steward
mad boyl mad boy!
II reasoned in vain, warned in vain.
He went straight to his fate. Believing
in her as he believed in Heaven, he
asked her to be his wife!-mad boy!
mad boy! Yes, he asked her, and-ho
received his answer.
Marry my mothers housekeeper's
son! she smiled scornfully. Mate with
your kind, Herbert Siegrist.'
my boy looked at her in adult dazed
way-I saw the look; see it yet!-and
then went out and shot himself
The witness here stopped. her hands
working, her pale stern features twitch-
Ing convulsively.
Not sound broke the death-like still
ness Of the courthouse.
Judge, jury, counsel, and all were
held as by spell.
The witness recovered herself and
went on, IL time q little more rapidly,
and with q cod smile just wreathing her
lips:
Mother and daughter Mrs. Vesey
and Miss Annabel - were properly
shocked at the tragedy; but only prop
erly! Both declared he was great fool
I overheard that verdict. said moth
ing; but at the end Of the year Annabe.
Vesey was carried to her grave.
Consumption, the physicians said.
Gentlemen Of the jury" lifting her
cold eyes from the floor, on which they
had been continually fixed, and fasten-
ing her gaze upon them. gentlemen q
the jury, killed herl
Mrs. Vesey was childless. I LETT DC.
then. had taught her 70 feel : tithei
Of my anguish.