The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-06-03
WIFES DEVOTION.

his court at Forsyth, Monroe county, Ga,
two brothers, residents OF Gwinnett
county, were brought before him charged
with horse-stealing.
The case against the men was plain In
deed. The old man from whom the horse
was stolen and his wife and daughter were
introduced, and each in turn on the stand
gwole strong and strildngly alike as to
the thoit. the Identity of the horse and
both men.
Absolutely nothing in rebuttal could be
produced by the counsel for the defense,
except the testimony of woman, the |
young wife Of one of the prisoners, and
the daughter of the old man from whom |
the horse was stolen. Her story, as told |
by the attorney, was so strange and un-
reasonable that he begged She would not
20 10 tie stand with it, fearing its effect |
upon both Judge and jury. To the
pleading OF the lawyer she turned deaf
ear, and rising without being bid, said
aloud: "Aly innocent husbands liberty
is Mt stake. Imust, will speak for him."
Judge s., who up to this time had not
noticed the woman, now owing to the
manner of speech and seemingly intense
sympathy and love for her husband, called
her to the stand, ruling that "shc could
testify in behalf OF her husbands brother,
and makea q statement for the husband"
The bible was handed her, and she kissed
It with smack that might have been
heard u block away. Then tremblingly
removing from her head its old shaker
covering, and very carefully unwinding
q much-worn and tattered Gwinnett red
shawl which she held In her arms, she ex-
posed to the view of n greatly surprised
audience two-months' baby boy, who
was hid away somewhere in the folds of
that huge shawl. The unwlnding process
completed she hurriedly deposited both
baby and covering in aheap on tho tablein
front OF her, and with degree OF determi-
nation in her face expressed only In the
lines OF Shakespeare, 81 shall remember
when Caesar says do this, It is performed
she fronted the jury. Said she 81 have
sworn TO tell the truth. / understand
fully the enormity and meanness OF n lie.
nm n God-fearing woman, and believe
every word in that good book there on the
table, and II what | tell you now about
this case be not true may God In his
wrath this moment strike me dumb ere |
utter another word, and make me suffer
the most violent death that could befall
human! May turn from this stand
when have finished and look upon that
baby-mine, my only one, whom love
next to my husband, better than my life,
and lind 1t cold in death!
1.-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 / should
| come and nurse him through an attack OF
rheumatism. He and my mother had al
ways been very hard with Tom (my hus-
band) and /, but Tom now persuaded me
TO 20, saying II was my father who was
sick, and II 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 a colt be-
| longing to my father caught the disease.
| A consultation Of the family was held,
and 1t was finally decided TO kill the colt,
hoping thereby TO prevent the remainder
OF the horses on the farm from catching
1t. ma
|
my father to put II by itself. away from
the other horses, and | would feed and
try TO cure II. He did as | asked, and
nursed the colt back to health. When i
was leaving home. going back TO my hus.
| band my father told me, In presence OF
both my mother and sister, as had saved
the colts life he would give II TO me aud
wonld keep It for me, as he had good pas
turage, until II grew large enough to
4 lA Na1 nd
thought no more OF IL until two weeks
ago, when received q letter from my
father, stating that the cold was ready to
work, but my mother and sister were un-
willing for me to have II. He said he
thought II best for me to send my hus-
band and his brother after the colt, telling
them TO take II from the pasture and not
TO let my mother aud sister know about
IT.. -. ... -,
need OF horse, Tom decided TO do as my
father bid, and last Thursday night n
week ago he and his brother reached our
home In Gwinnett with the colt, now
crown to be horse, the same that
nursed through the glanders' at my IA
theirs two years ago, the same that my
father then gave me in presence ofAhy
mother and sisters, now there by his he,
and the same, Judge, that my father now
says my husband stole from him.
-"This is all there is Of II" she said, and
dropping her head. which, through the
recital OF her story, had been as erect as
the "proudest steed OF the prairie" she
slowly left the stand. "The letter." OF
course, was asked for, but could not be
produced. The woman said she had lost
The jury were ont only few mo,
ments, returning verdict OF guilty, and
the men were sentenced to ten years In
the penitentiary. AS the last words OF
the sentence were uttered by the judge
the wife sprnng TO her feet, and facing hel
father and young sister, from her lips fel
such curse as filled with horror all who
heard IL. Turning next to her husband
she gave him long, last embrace, anc
held up the baby for him to kiss Then z
the Judge she said; 81 will find the letter
, sir, and bring II to you," and with heart
broken look but firm step she passed
through the crowd TO the street. Tit
prisoners were sent off next day TO beRiT
their servitude, and soon the scene In th'
courtroom, the sad face OF the wife. th'
: baby, red shawl and all were forgot
ten.
Several weeks later woman enteret
! the Judges Office In Forsyth, her fnc'
flushed with excitement and beaminl
: with Joy. IL was the wife OF the maj
\ convicted of horse-stealing. She. hat
\ found "the letter." and had walked will
q her baby In her arms all the long wa.
q from Gwinnett TO Monroe to bring II y
q the Judge. Judge S., after closely ex
amining the document, was satisfied 4
a was genuine, and took immediate steps =
y secure more evidence in the matter. Thi
\ was easily accomplished, and the father o
y the woman ON being confronted with tn