The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-04-09
A WIFE'S DEVOTION.
a TRUE STORY.
Correspondence AAanta Constitution.

| TWO pfotnefs, resident OF Gwlnnett COun
ty, were brought before him charged will
horse stealing.
The case against the two men was plair
indeed. The old man from whom th,
horse was stolen with his wife and daugh
ter were introduced and each in thei
turn on the stand swore strong and str;k
ingly alike as to the theft, the identity O
tho horse and of both men.
Absolutely nothing in rebuttal couir
be produced 5y the counsel for the de
tense, except the testimony of woman
the young wife of one Of tho prisoners
aud the daughter of the old man from
whom the horse was stolen. Her story
as told to her attorney, was 80 strange
aud unreasonable that he begged abe
would not 60 to the stand with it, fearing
its effect upon both'judge and jury. T0
the pleading of the lawyer che turned q
deaf ear, aud rising, without being bid,
said aloud, my innocent husbands lib.
erty 10 at stake, | must, will speak fcr
him." Judge g., who, up to this time,
had not noticed the woman, now, owing
to her manner of speech and seemingly
intense sympathy and love for her hus.
band, called her to the stand, ruling "she
could testify in behalf Of her husband 3
brother and make statement" for the
husband. The Bible was handed her,
and she kissed with smack that might
have been heard block away. Then
tremblingly removing from her head its
old shaker covering, and very carefully
1nwinding q much worn aud tattered
awinnett red shawl which she held in
her arms, she exposed to tho view of q
greatly surprised audience q two months
n ha W hon vrISrN Il \
where in the folds Of that huge shawl.
hurtiedly deposited both baby and cover.
and with q degree Of determination in
Shakespeare 81 shall remember when
Cesar says do this, it is performed" she
fronted tho jury. Said she: II have
sworn to tell the truth. I understand
fully the enormity and meanness of lie.
[ am fearing woman, and believe
every word in that good book there on
the table, aud if what I tell you now
about this cage be not true, may God in
His wrath this moment strike mo dumb
ere utter another word, and make me
suffer the most violent death that could
befall human. May I turn from this
stand when ! have flushed ind look
upon that baby-mine-my only one,
whom love, next to my husband, better
than my life, and find 1t cold in death.
Two years ago my father, who sits
over there, and now accuses my husband
of stealing his horse, sent to Gwinnett
County for me, insisting that I should
come and nurse him through an attack
of Rheumatism. He and my mother had
always been very hard with Tom (my
husband) and !, but Tom now persuaded
me to 60, saying it was my father who
was sick and It was my duty to go to him.
went, and remained two months or
more until he recovered. While at my
fathers the 'glanders' got among the
stock in the neighborhood, and after
awhile q colt belonging to my father
caught the disease. A consultation of
The family was held, and it was finally
decided to kill the colt, hoping thereby
to prevent the remainder of the horses
on the farm from catching It.
II plead for the colts life and told my
father to put 1t to itself away from the
other horses and would feed and try to
cure it. He did as I asked and I nursed
the colt back to health. When was
leaving home, going back to my husband,
my father told me in presence OF both
my mother and sister, as I had saved the
colts life be would give IL to me and
would keep 1t for me, as he had good
pastursge, until 1t grew large enough to
work. Here the matter rested, aud
thought no more Of it until two .weeka
ago, when l received O letter from my
father, stating that the colt rJas ready fot
work, but my mother and ei ster were un::
willing for me to have It. He said, he
thought It best for me 20 send my hus.
band and his brother after the colt, tell.
ing them to take it from the pasture and
not to let my mother and sister know
about It. : !,
"Owing to our extreme poverty and
| need Of horse, Tom decided to do as my
father bid, and last Thursday night, q
week ago, he and bis brother reached
our home in Gwinnett with the colt, nov
grown to be o horse. The same that
nursed through the 'glanders' at my
| fathers two years ago. The same that
| my father then gave me in preesnce OF
my mother and slster, anow there by his
side, and the same, Judge, that my father
now Gays my husband stole from him
This 10 all there is of it," eha said, aud
dropping her head which, through the
recital of her story, had been as erect as
the "proudest Bteed2 OF. the pYairio," she
slowly left the "stand.n. 'sfhe letter" ol
course, was asked for,' but could not be
produced. The woman naid she had lUs!
/ it. l,2st,i 'iItL H.>ni& i1s .5S'i t5s!s "a
j The jury were 'out" only a few pc
ments, returning verdict Of guilty, 6 1t
the mon were sentenced to ten years j,
the pen;tentiary.s as tho last wor.s O!
the sentence were uttered by the Judge
the wife sprung to her feet and FACING
her father and mother and young sister
from her lips such a curse fell hs filled
with horror ali who heard 1t. Turning
next to her husband, she gave him q
long, last embrace, and hold up the baby
for him to kiss. Then to tie Judge she
said, II will find the letter, air, and bring
it to youe' and with a heart broken; look,
but firm step, she passed through tie
crowd to the street. TIE plisonen were
sent of next day to begin theis life OF
seryitnde.a And soon, the scens Id the
conrt room, the sad face of the wife, the
baby, red shawl and hll were forgottsn.
isGtSeveral weeks later woman entered
the Judges Office In Forsyth, her face
flushed with excitement and .beaming
withj6y. tfIe was the wife Of the mai,
convicted Of horse Sstealing. She had
found "the letter, and had walked with
her baby in her arms nli she long way
from Gwinnett To- Monroe, 20 bring it "a
the, Judge. Judge 3d. after closely
examining the document, was satisfied Il
was genuine; aud took Immediate Sstepa
to secure more evidtNce In the matter,
This tWas easils ucc0mpliahed. and the