Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1888-10-06
ACCOMAC C. H. Va SATURDAY.. OCTOBER 6. 1883
The COURTS Decree.


COMPRISING irs walls. sat on tn
windows and ehscured the delicat
frost tracing of leaf and flower. /,
What is the use Of flowers i
this place ut alls
In the room heavy, sitting al
mosrlere prevailed, and on tn
highest window glass the tin wlee
turned hut slowly and lnmpiahly
TIE Judges leaned against thei
chairs, one closed his ewes. and
letting his arm sink, listened t,
The scratching Of the notary's pen
the other yawned aid was drum
ming upon the green table Will
bis long pencil. while the Presi
dent. pushing hls sppctacles dowr
the tip of his nose, wiped the pers
piration from his forehead Will
lis handkerchief. He kept hi,
eycscoldly. and.spyingly fixed
upon the docT, Through which tho
parties 70 Il criminal ease just con
clnded had Withdrawn.
SIS there any one else ont'n he
asked the headlc IN a harsh voice.
"A GIRL" replied the beadle..;
''Let her come in"
The door. opened AMI in came
the girl. With her came a fresh
rushing breeze, which gently
touched the faces. ana, through
the flick fog. it WAS as ifa ray had
stolen to the window and would
dance among the icy flowers, re-
flccting itself on tlie walls and fur.
nitnre of the courtroom. y
A neat Creature -sIe%WaR. "a
gracefully proportioneT lfgSfiHa5 10
which the little dolnran so smooth
CLING as if it had been found ouSa
statue; her black eyes were cast
down and the high forehead dlr's
ened with gloom. In her appear
ance there was charm and IN her
motions, grace.
Nv liat Is your case. cblld7"aSked
the President, iudiffelrntIy. r
Such a rigidly cold officer has mo-
feeling for anything. A
The girl fixed the black Tcfchief
on her head and answered, with a
deep sigh:
Great is my trouble, very great!'
Her Voice. WAS soft and sad; 70
went to the heart like muSfN, Wiiielts
even when it dies away still,seems
TO resonnd in the air, changing
every one and everything. Even
the faces Of the King and the chief
justice at her side beckon to her:
encouraeiugly from the mute walls
not to be afraid to relate that
trouble of hers. There issthe pa \
per that will tell it; only she has
first to search for it with her landss.
i'll her bosom, and 10 unbutton the
upper buckle of her corset. Oh,
that ugly buckle! Lo! it..sp,ss.;;a. a "
/, fl. What. a pathetic si'gll...,as
She stoops downsfor it and the pa
4'ITFffi 'f 5Fdeff gftay mead o. me
President turns away. only his
large lat hand is extended towara:3I
the paper.
"a decree of the court!" he mnr-
murs, as bis piefsing eyes run
through theG paper. "Annie Rede
is summoned to begin today her
term Of imprisonment"
The gill mods Ter head sadly,and
as it droops the mourning 'kerchief
glides back. and thick queue OF
her flch raven black hair f;ells-u
twisted upon her face.
1t is better if it covers the face,
for il it was as white as a lily be
fore is now crimson AS poppy
will. .illamc.
sit was week ago that We re.
ceived The paper" she >tammered,
in a broken voice. "The Justice of
the peace brought it, and my poor
mother spoke thus to me, go, my
child, to the court Law is law,
and one cannot Joke with the law
And so l came here"
The President wipes and wipes
his spectacles; his angry, cold gaze
strays around from The faces of
his colleagues TO the window, TO
the floor and to the Large iron stove
through whose door fiery eyes
stare at him and sparkling tongues.
cry, "the law! the I;,w!"
He reads and re reads the de
cree, but it obsriDately says the
same, viz: "Annie Bede has been
found guilty OF copcealing stolen
goods and has been sentenced to q
halt years imprisonment"
The tin wheel begins to whirl
with mad rap.dity. a storm must
have risen outside, for' the wind
SHAKES the window shutters, and
as if it were u wandering ghost,
whistles with frosty chill through
the cracks, "Thc law! tile law!'
lie gray head reds consent to
that supernatural dice, and the,
large fat bauL glasps the bell to
call the beadle.
.Escort Annie Bede to the war
den"
Tie beadle takes the paper, the
gill turns about silently; but her
rosy little lins move convulSivel ~,
us if they were gasping for words.
'.uave sou something to. say,
prisoner"
..Nothipg, nothing. Only that
,I,ot nm Elizihpth PpfIp. for Won