The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1883-02-08
A p1T1LEss FOE.

CROWDED COurt-nOuSe.
1t was followed by as sudden a STIR
a 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 q
woman in deepest black. making her
slow way, under care of a court-officer,
to the witness-box.
''Nlrs. Siegristw exclaimed the pris-
oner in suppressed tones, the words
rushing from her lips unconsciously in
the intensity of her astonishment.
s.The last witnessr' ran hurriedly from
lip to lip as the spectators craned their
necks for better view of the rigid form
ana forbidding face.
(Which side?-defence or prosecu-
tion?" were the next eager words.
IA FOOLS query" sneered some one.
There's been no defence! there can be
none! The girl has the face of an angel
and the heart of fiend! 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.
Her first words, at the conclusion of
that ceremony, sent a 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 a long
black-gloved finger in the same direc,
ton, ''that girl is innocentH' q
She paused till the commotion had
subsidized, and then, in the same chill,
Unconditional tone, proceeded, the girls
wide eyes fixed breathlessly upon hel
face: e.. .
''She is innocent, and am guilty! ]
killed Mrs. Vesey! killed her, and ]
would do it again.
Again the witness pausedt till the wild
uproar was silenced.
Icily as before she resumed:
81 intended the guilt to fall upon the
us
Life is sweet to her; it is gall and Bit
teruess to me Let her live; will die,
but-but not by the hangman's handsn'
She smiled those last words chilling
ly, 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 thin fossy veil about her
neck.
''Years ago." she paused in unchang- ,
ed accents, II was Mrs. Vesey's house
keeper. l had son; Mrs. Vesey had
daughter. My son was her confidential
steward; Annabel Vesev was her idol.
She-the girl-was as beautiful as
dream, and as She checked her
self hastily, resuming: "Never mind
what she was like-thc end will show.
lit happened that my boy set his
heart on the exquisite lily face. Annabel
saw it and encouraged it. 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 a common collier as
my handsome boy. And yet-and yet
he was her peer-Heaven knows, he
was her peer!''
She rung out those few concluding
words in a voice shrill with defying an
guish, and then suddenly controlling
her emotion, resumed, icily as at first:
ale might have welded duchess!
His abilities We're OF the highest order,
and 4 college education had fitted him
for any position. 70 be near his allur-
ing idol he accepted that of steward
mad boy! mad boy!
81 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-he
received his answer.
Marry my mothers housekeeper's
sonr 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. ,,- ...... s-.......
NOG ~ SOuuO rUIOhc lLC CctJu-llkc Still
ness of the courthouse.
Judge, jury, counsel, and all were
held AS by spell. %.
The witness recovered herself and
went on, t. time little more rapidly,
and with cod smile just wreathing her
lips:
'.Mothc, and daughter-Mr Vesey
and Miss Annabel - were properly
shocked at the tragedy; but only y prop
erly! Both declared he was great fool.
| overheard that verdict. ! said moth
ing; but at the end of the year Annabel
Vesev 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 em-''gentlemen Of
the jury, killed her!
''Mrs. Vesey was childless. left her
then. had taught her to feel a tithe
of my anguish.
''But day and night my sons blood
called for vengeance. | resisted: but at
last did it. killed Mrs. Vesey too!
.'1his was murder that needed to
be covered. I hated all girls. That
one turning her eyes from the jurors
to the breathless prisoner-''that one
was beautiful, and Mrs Vcsey's petted
compahion. She was to bear my guilt.
But
She paused and pressed her hands
against her heart with asuppressed cry.
"The poison worksr' she gasped.
With those words she rose to her feet,
stlotched her hands aimlessly before
her, and the next instant--fell dead!