The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-09-08


Jury. The District Attorney had
packed away tho papers that had seen
their day in his green bag, and, arm
In arm with his assistant, had strolled
away, pausing now and then to whis-
per a caution to bailiff, and to re-
ceive IN return more or less authentic
: information.
The prisoner had been led over the
covered cor1idor-another Bridge of
SIghs-1nto the Jail, to await his fate
IN the cell where murderers were al
ways Kept, rs the great iron ring in the
centre of the floor, for their better 60
curing. httested. His counsel had
accompanied him to the stairway, and
then had turned into the office to have
smoke and - sohst rs to prospects
WIN his friend the Sheriff.
Dubious, said that functionory,
munching on his cigar. "The Judge
was agin him from the fust, ard tho
jury seed it."
The reporters had hurried away
with their notes, first arranging for
telephone calls when IL verdict was
reached
digh above tho Judges bench ran
Ea'ery. At the end nearest the win
dows was n door. Before this door sat
court officer, and behind it were tho
jury, discussing, and 80 vigorously,
too, that again and anon u muilIed
sound would descend to those who
waited
These were few in number the inn.
itor of the building, tho clerk, who
lived out of town and hnd brought n
lunch with him three or four attend
ants, the blind cricr, doing in his
chair, and, in the further corner OF
the spectators seats, an old woman
and young girl. Tho former of
these two was stilf and motionlcss, her
features set sternly, and her oycs burn
ing with ~ fierco desire. The latter
was slight and yielding; she swnycd
from the weakness that terror Ind
brought, and would have rested her
head on her companion's arm had not
an unrecognizcd nntipnthy prevented.
There and thus they had sat through
ont the day, the matron stone and
the maiden n reed. Finally this young
girl spoke. ''Grnndma," she snid.
r'.why does thnt mnn sit without TINT
door?'
He is on guard, my child, to 500
that the jury are secure and unmo-
lested."
"But why should they he locked
upp"
I'm order thnt they may render. "A
verdict and thus punish the wicked"
''But surely each one must have
known what he believed when the case
was finished, and contining thcm won't
cause thom to change"
"No, but discussion may
''Then that would be yielding to
othor influences than that of the evil
dence, and that would be contrary to
the oath they each ono took"
'Some are strong and sensible, and
others are weak and foolish. IL is
proper that the will of tho former
should prevail"
''But that wouldn't DO their unani-
nous Judgment then, and who can say
but that the weak ana foolish may not
sometimes be rightp Besides they
must be hungry and tired and cross.
And whom people are cross they arc
unfair. Oh, what q dreadful thing Is
the law!"
"What n dreadful thing rather is
murder. Think of your only brother
done to death by the Barlings. / only
wish the old days of drawing and quar-
tering had returned"
ooh, do you really believe"
''Believe! Don't / know? Hnin't
the Knowleses and the Barlings been
at odds this fifty years? D;aa'. tho
boys quarrel at the tavern? Haven't
we heered the detectives stories and
this lads admission? What if the
others did get away? do was there,
and he done it as much as them. And
the jury will say Swing, you mark
me-"
"But there were two who seemed to
believe his story"
"Them poor critters in the back
row? They dasscnt trust their own
feelings in the face of tho othera Do
YOU mind that racket? That will set
tie their doubts in short order. Now
you shut up, Patty. If I thought
that ono of my kin wouldn't rejoice in
the death of an enemy, I'd turn her
into the street without n shawl to her
back or q shoe to her feet"
"Poor, poor Tommy" sobbod the
girl, as she trembled before iiIe indis-
tinct sounds of wrnngiing that cnmo
from above.
Patty Knowles shrank still further
away from the stony bosom and the
threatening arm, and tried to think,
as if thoughts could bring comfort 1t
was all too awful to be real; she must
be dreaming; yet why could she not
awake? Was it true that she, with hor
grandmother, was awaiting in court
the verdict which should shamefully
destroy their enemy, and that enemy
her old comrade, Tommy Barling?
All, there were substances, not chad
ows, about her; her mind in its peace.
sui slumbers had never imagined any
thing 30 cruel! Yet he would bo nc.
quilted, how could she doubt, whom
the jurymen as well as she had heard
his frank, simple story and had seen
the candor of his beautiful face? Had
she not watched them and detected
expressions VI sympathy, OF confidence,
on at least two of their countenances
And if these men had once trusted
1uouId thew dare To condemn? Then.