Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-11-26
DARK DAYS.
CHAPTER XIV. CONTINUED.
BY HUGH CONWAY.

Surely it was all dresm-a dreadful,
realistic dream. | should wake and find
myself under the great orange tree III that
courtyard in gay Sevi le. my half-smoked
CHAR and the book which had been lady
reading lying at my feet; nay mother oi-
p1sie ne, laughing at my somno'ency, and
pAiippa's grave dark eyes looking with
calm everlasting Low, into my own. lshouid
wake and find the cool Of tie evening had
slcc seded TO the glare of the afternoon. We
should walk through the Mcrr,' streets,
lounge In the Alameda, wander through the
glowing AcaZar gardens. or drive ont miles
and miles over the fertile smiling plains.
Or should even wake and find myself nod
ding over my fire in my lonely cottage, the
stolid William the only human creature
within hail: Phlippas return, the SHOW
storm. the dreadful discovery. the fight, Sc
vile, the marriage, all, all dream!
In a kind of stupor-the temporary rrac-
ton, suppose, consequent upon such ia.
tigue and trouhle--I gaz,d round Inc, and
wond red where ! was.
What is this great tmpiy building, lit from
one side by large clcrestory windows of &C.
, c.esiaslical design? What ar these dull
gray vacaa: walls; that lofty ceiling, cross
ed and cut into small squares by dark raft
ers; this leaSied floor, on which f'e. fail all
but moi ,ciessly? Wnat are those raised boxes
on either side of the building-those small
rallied platforms all but adjoining theli, and
all bat ado ming tina. paneIed oa..i structure
1t the end facing lne9 What is that rectan-
gular boX-shaped erection with oyGIalangh;g
carved corncc? Let us away from ills dis
mai, colorless place! Let me wake and find
/ myself amid the flowers, orange trees. the
ali e,yitt aud at
home.
| No! have but to turn my dazal eyes to
fthe center Of space in which sat, to know
that am dreaming no dream; that We must
wait here and learn our fates. That oblong
wooden Enclosure with high sides, topped
by light iron railing, brings reality back
TO me. II is the prisoners dcc'5. in an
hours time man will stand thIrc. lie will
be brought up those stone steps which lead
to IL from below the topmost flag Of which
can Just see lie Will stand there for hours.
AS he leaves the dock, declared innocent or
guilty so Will our lives be declared happy
Or miserable.
My hand holds my wifc's yet closer; for
the last minutes which may be ours to spend
together are slipping by so fast, sovery fast!
See, the clock un Ter the balcony marks
half-past nine. The all but deserted court
begins to assume the appearance of prepar-
ing for business. Policemen and other clh-
eials pass to and fro some arranging papers,
some replenishIng ink-bottles. and placing
lull pens ready for the barristers and So
lctors who will soon ill those front seats.
- Some one, with what seems to ME bitter
IRONY places q magnificent bouquet OF flow
ers On either hand of the judges vacant
chair, What have flowers in common with
such scene as this? Flowers, too, which
are beautiful enough to recall to my mind
The fair Spanish home, which, may be, we
shall see no more. Flowers in this den OF
sorrow! Rather should every seat, every
| beam. be draped in black.
| Now the doors OH each side OF the court
open and remain open. l hear n shufn'ng
of many feet. People, in continuous
; stream, pass through the entrance, and wend
their way to the portion of the court allotted
to the general public. So fast, so thick they
come, that in ten minutes this space Is
thronged almost to suffocation. Philippe
!, and are pressed closer and closer to each
: other, us every inch Of the bench on which
we ore seated is appropriated. The cour
1 Is full.
Crowded by respectable-lookin-, we'll
dressed people, who have gained admission
:, rs heard, by favor of the sheriff. Yes, re
3" spectacle as they are each man, each wo
n man, rushes in eagerly and strives for tn
l. best available seat. And for what reason
Il To see and hear poor wretch tried for MI
:" life! In my bitter mood l look with hat
L Oh these sensation-seeKers. ! hate then
n even more when think that their mOrbi'
# craving for excitement may be satisfied wit
such food rs they little expect; and cline
D Aoa all v,io fl1Q tllnf
ment when Philippa, in pursuance OF he
,t immovable resolution rises, and makes he
effort to proclaim her own guilt and the col
~ vlcted mains innocence. Although striv
III to force the picture from my mind, by tel
n. ing myself that justice cannot err, that til
!. man will be acquitted, yet again and agai
y the dread of the worst seizcs me, and hal
20 every face In that crowd, which may, b
Of and by, be gaping, with looks OF wond'
!, and curiosity, at the woman love!
AS In haze, see some faces which al
OF familiar to me. A number of gentleme
T. enter, and seat themselves on the bench'
which counsel usually occupy. Some fe
OF these knew by sight. They are COUNT
gentlemen from the leighborhood of 10
- ing. who are now called to serve on Il
10 grand Jury. see also the thin-faced, haw
oil ish looking woman who calls herself MI
to Wilson. am thankful that she takes Sc
~ in front OF us and does not see us. She, III
ed ourselves, must know that an innocent mi
o. is this day about to be tried.
q. So for half an hour l sit, gazing now
the crowd of people, now at the empty do
10 and vacant bench in front of me; listenil
ir 10 the hum of conversation which rises fro
n. the packed court; longing for the nome
to come when this dreadful suspense M
70 end yet all the same dreading and will
n to put off that moment. And all the viii
ca Philippa, In her black garb, close to me al
!, unseen by our neighbors, holding my han
~ Hush! The door at the back of the ben
nd opens, and at ten O'clock to the minute I
ut red-robed judge appears. He bows to
nor court, seats himself, and by his action sig
. fes that he Is ready to begin the business
es the day. No trembling prisoner in the do
es- ever scanned n judges fac, with more al
Of lefty than scan his lordship's at this pr
ent moment.
An old man. too old, 1t seems to me,
~. such responsible post; all amiable, Pile
ant looking man-nOt, l venture to thiI
~ one who can bear the reputation Of bein!
"a t.bonviu,y iu,lypo breathe a nrayer IL