The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-09-20

moned sooner by the agreement of the
jury. The District Attorney had
packed away the 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 eorridor-a another Bridge of
Sighs-into the Jail, to await his fate
in the cell where murderers were al
ways kept, as the great iron ring in the
centre of the floor, for their better Sc
curing, attested. His counsel had
accompanied him to the stairway, and
then had turned into the Office to have
smoke and IL chat rs to prospects
with his friend the Sheriff.
Dubious" said that functionary.
munching on his cigar. "The Judge
was agin him from the fust, and the
jury seed it"
The reporters had hurried away
with their notes, first arranging for
telephone calls when verdict was
reached.
High above the Judges bench ran
gallery. At the end nearest the win
dows was door. Before this door sat
n court officer, and behind it were the
jury, discussing, and so vigorously,
too, that again and anon a muffied
sound would descend to those who
waited.
These were few in number-the jan
itor of the building, the clerk, who
lived out of town and had brought n
lunch with him three or four attend
ants, the blind crier, doing in his
chair, and, in the further corner of
the spectators seats, an old woman
and q young girl. The former of
these two was stiff and motionless, her
features set sternly, and her eyes burn
ing with fierce desire. The latter
was slight and yielding she swayed
from the weakness that terror had
brought, and would have rested her
head on her companions arm had not
an unrecognized antipathy prevented.
There and thus they had sat through
out the day, the matron a stone and
the maiden reed. Finally this young
girl spoke. "Grandma, she said.
why does that man sit without that
door?"
''He is on guard, my child, to see
that the jury are secure and unmo-
Tested"
But why should they be locked
up?"
'In order that 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 confning them won't
cause them to change"
''No, but discussion may"
''rhen that would be yielding to
other influences than that of the evil
dence, and that would be contrary to
the oath they each one took"
'Some are strong and sensible, and
others are weak and foolish. 1t is
proper that the will of the former
should prevail"
''But that wouldn't be their unani-
nous judgment then, and who can say
but that the weak and foolish may not
sometimes be right? Besides they
must be hungry and tired and cross.
And when people are cross they are
unfair. Oh, what dreadful thing is
the law /"
"What dreadful thing rather is
murder. Think of your only brother
done to death by the Barlings. l only
wish the old days of drawing and quar-
tering had returned"
''Oh, do you really believe"
believe! Don't l know? Hain't
the Knowleses and the Barlings been
at odds this fifty years? Didn't the
boys quarrel at the tavern? Haven't !
we heered the detectives stories and
this lads admission? What if the |
others did get away? He 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.
''Ihem poor critters in the back |
row? They dassent trust their own
feelings in the face of the others Do |
you mind that racket? That will set |
tie their doubts in short order. Now |
you shut up, Patty. If l thought |
that one of my kin wouldn't rejoice in |
the death of an enemy, I'd turn her
into the street without shawl to her |
back or a shoe to her feet. "
"Poor, poor Tommy" sobbed the /
girl, as she trembled before the indis-
tinct sounds of wrangling that came
from above.
Patty Knowles shrank still further
away from the stony busom and the
threatening arm, and tried to think,
as if thoughts could bring comfort, It
was all too awful to be real she must
be dreaming; yet why could she not
awaken Was it true that she, with her
grandmother, was awaiting in court
the verdict which should shamefully
destroy their enemy, and that enemy
her old eomrade, Tommy Barhng?
All, there were substances, not shad-