Wichita eagle., 1886-08-18

GUY IL, or take EN- out You see cOuldu
bear to see the mites go worse shod or clad
than when poor Jim was on the 60. Tit
worst was when the little beggers got theil
new things, they were so keen to show off.
Then their mother would sob and tell mt
she was sure she could never repay me-
used to make me feel as if I'd done some
thing and ought to be horsewhipped Ia
never thought Of such thing.
Il married her at last don't know thai
I shonld ever thought Of that, but there.
always such nasty sings thrown out il {
single man goes to lodge with youne
woman If anybody had said anything t.
me, should have known how to deal will
'em. She'd never have told me, but ont
night, when got home, LIS face was al
red, and 1 saw she'd been crying
1 should have thought it was about
poor Jim-it was the time Of
the year-but my little pet let it out tina,
Mrs. Somebodyor-o other had made hel
nanny cry when she was pipe-claying the
door-fag, SO l would bottom it Now
almost wish I'd married her before. YOU
see can buy anything for the BARNS in the
natural course now I've taken Jim's
place"
The signal was for us to go, but think
my drivers story was about finished Over
the river, through the gaslit town, like
fairyland with its mantle of snow on root
and roadway, increasing our speed as we
plunged into the darkness. 1t was showing
faster, the darkness seeming more opaque
by reason of the whirling snowflakes We
had matter for self-congratulation, GER
tainly; the wind was with us, not against
us; the snow did not drive in our faces, but
seemed to race US, to go as We were go.
ing, distancing, sailing past us in myriad
atoms.
We're nearing Stonebank junction." I
heard him murmur. The engine slackened
He blew his whistle twice, long warning
Shrek, then a short peremptory call. I
saw the signal light before US, white, not
over well-defned
We steamed on, slightly increasing speed,
the signal post came to meet us, SO it seemed !;
then it struck me tina: faint rosy
hue was on the snow at its
foot. A dark mass seemed to loom
before us-in motion, crossing our path
My companion made startled ejaculation
"Jump" shouted, as l leaped into the
darkness; saw that he had reversed, but
too late; in the twinkling of an eye, in less,
l heard the crash of timber, and the escape
of steam
Slaves stood to his engine and escaped
much better than l did. Besides broken
leg and a confusion of the shoulder, I had
internal injuries. l shall carry my scars as
long as live, nor shall ever be the same
man again But there was another casualty:
the engine had crashed into the van of a
goods train killing the guard on the spot
For month | was "a critical case"
While l lay lowering between life and
death, there had been an inquiry, resulting
in the conmittal of my driver to the as
sizes on charge of manslaughter, heavy
bail being allowed.
l was anything but sound man when l
took my place in the witness-box, my CON-
rade of that night in the dock Perhaps it
was my debility that caused me to feel so
incensed against the counsel for prosecution
He laid such stress ON the late prevalence of
railway accidents There was gross culpabil-
ity; he would go SO far as to say the man
had deliberately disregarded the signal; he
had counted upon getting over the inter-
secting line. When he saw the danger it
was too late to avert the collision.
The opinion was that virtually the ac-
cused had no defense. The signalman' had
sworn to due execution of his duty; a porter
him he had seen the red light
on the snow. l looked at the jury
twelve heavy faces. We're l arraigned, I
should fear the twelve more than the be-
wigged one under the royal arms. Twelve
eleven honest, one less to like, vindictivs
face, with defective crauial development
was under examination. You were on
the engine. 1t was beating snowstorm,
the wind at your back. You saw the signal
lght.-oh, imperfectly you it appeared
to be white. You caught CLEAN of rosy
light cast on the snow as you passed the
post. You believe that the disc was coated
with snow obscuring the red Light Such
were the leading questions put me by
counsel the last one creating some sensation
The judge started, bent forward the faces
Of the saturnine jurymen seemed to indicate
minds stirred to conviction, excepting one
one face did not relax, the mind was stub
born, Illogical. The couutenance was that
Of a beast Of prey, the mouth cruel, the eyes
hard and steely, the ears indicating de-
fciency OF fellow feeling, human sympathy.
Opposing counsel jumped to his feet, was
checked q little by the Judge de was to
that | was a wreck \ witness
was recalled Ny coniectural opinion was
strengthened rather than impaired by the
lood of questions. The night was not frosty,
{ became thaw, its own weight would
carry OF the accumulation of
snow on the disc.
The jury retired. They werc so long
away. another case was called, and another
Jury empanelled. Just before this case con
GUIDED. the judge was communicated WITH
our jury had come TO decision
erta co,,rf
of the load that would
De ifted OF a mans mind. One If
.itated. unreconciled, though he had yielded.
&c carried all this in his face This may
appear pure imagination. l had it later
rom a juryman that eleven were uuani-
nous OH leaving the court, that he alone
leld out. This hard souled being was called .
again In every case after, VIXEN he formed /
ne OF the jury, he carried his point. in
ne case the judge revealed his feeling on
he matter, passing the extremely light I
entence, Ito be imprisoned until the rising |
Il the court" The accused was a young girl /
ceiling acutely her position But to return
There was dead silence preceding the
question:
Gentlemen of the jury, have you agreed
pon your verdict"
I'VE have"
DO you find the prisoner guilty or not
.uiltyi'
Not guilty
There was applause in the court, which
vas suppressed, but scarcely visited with
condemnation
"A very proper finding" commented the
Judge, 1.-The evidence OF the last witness ma
erialiy affected the case"
heard a woman's passionate weeping.
nade my way out OF the court to grasp
oor Slaves hand, and to offer him my
incere congratulations; his wife turned to