Evening star., 1896-07-25
time, but the Judge declared that the case

time, but the Judge declared that the case
must be tried when reached. took this as
an augury in our favor. Field & Fanning's 8
Junior left the court room when I did, and
/ was filled with envy when heard that
he was going to try the case himself for
his firm. It seemed he had just been ad-
mitted to partnership, and was very anx-
tous to succeed In this his first serious un-
lax no effort in behalf Of Mr.. Peckham
OF course. Mr.. Patterson was to bear the
brunt Of our side Of the case.
When court oper ed on the day of trial
neither old Mr.. Field nor Mr.. Tanning was
present; they had left everything to their
junior. President Carter Of the Children's
Home. venerable-looking man Of great
wealth and many charities, sat by his
young counsel with several Of the board Of
directors Mr.. Carter was retired lawyer
himself. and I was rather surprised to
learn that Field & Fannings Junior was
his son, and that President Carter had been
young Lawyer Carter's first client. The
old man had asked Field & Tanning If they
were willing to trust his son with the con-
duct OF the case, and they. not without
some misgivings. it turned out, agreed to
let young Carter manage it.
Well, we put in our evidence, and Mrs.
Peckham's story, told in court much as she
had told 1t to me, brought tears to many
eyes Young Carter. as handsome youth
dignity and intelligence. His sympathetic
yet searching questions moved her greatly;
when he asked her If she did not think that
MRS. Bartlett was warranted by her long
had abandoned her child, Mrs. Peckham' S
emotion became uncomfortable. She
stretched her soft white hands appealingly
out to him from the witness box with such
could forget. No, no, not that!' she
moaned. l thought / saw her cross-exam-
iEer turn pale. AS his lip quivered for a
moment l imagined he must have thought
hnr of L, Il Il I
carter had been widower for many years
The dignity Of the law soon reasserted it
Sell In the court room, however, and the
case proceeded. When it came to his clos
ing speech In behalf of the home and the
teneficent statutes which had created and
sustained it. and the benevolent men who
directed II, young Carter's tact was master
ly. Mr.. Patterson on side had appealed
for the broken-hearted mother her lifetime
or anguish. her heart hunger still unsats-
ned. her affections still clinging to the babe
she had prayed and wept for this score of
years. He did all that any man could do
ard would have carried any jury irresisti-
lily. But the judge was imperturbable.
Young Carter pleaded for the future of
the boy whose legal adoption had given
others a right to his love and obedience
VINO had learned to regard his present pro-
tectors as his parents. and whose life had
been plao ed. in accordance with the laws
governing the Children's Industrial Home,
AMID new scenes and faces. Il do not
Know, he said, in conclusion, where or
who that lad may be, or into whose kindly
hands he has fallen. l am assured by the
president Of the institution, the venerable
man you see here before you, that the babe
has fulfilled the fondest wishes of his adopt
ed parents. and that he is ignorant that
others ever had a claim on him. God in
HIS infinite wisdom has seen fit to separate
lis path from that of his fond mother who
bore him. We may wonder. but we may
not repine--"
Al this point the extraordinary character
OF the scene around him disturbed the
SPEAKER in his ardent eloquence. Every
body else had been watching it with grow
ing amazement. The judges eyes were
fixed on Mr. Carter, ST. The latter's face
was convulsed with emotion, his eyes
seemed starting from their sockets With
angus he'd intensity he gazed at the sobbing
flgure of his mother, who for twenty years
had mourned her son, dead only to her
With violent effort,a hoarse cry the presi-
dent of the children's home arose to his
1eet and fairly shrieking, Madam, there is
your son.. pointed to the impassioned ora
tor who at that moment paused turned as
white as this paper on which | am writing
ana with a look of unutterable regret, of
plteous entreaty, fell insensible over the
table And to him. sobbing, Il knew it,
knew it,. flew his mother indeed.
For few minutes there was relaxation
CT tense nerves and general unbending of
broWs and drying of eyes. 1t rarely falls to
the lot of any man to see such a spectacle
court was instantly adjourned and an entry
made on the minutes of discontinuance by