Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-01-27
In the goth Century.

like to address the jury before it retires
to consider your case|
The prisoner was a young man. 1t
was his first offense, and the evidence
had shown that he was guilty of embez-
zling a vast amount from his employer.
The faces of the jurywomen were stern
and relentless. 1t was evident that the
verdict would be Guilty" THANK you,
judge said the prisoner, rising; there
are a few words I would liRc 10 address
to the jury"
Then, turning to the jury, he bowed.
Ladies of the jury he said; sit is
in this disgraceful position.
"A year ago, was not as | am now.
My head was then free from the charges
that are now heaped upon it, and my
hands unstained by crime. Some of you
knew me in those halcyon days. 1t was
then that [ first met your worthy fore
woman, Mrs. Odigo-Jones. We were in
trOduced by Mr.. Odigo-Jones. | had
asked for the Introduction. / had said,
Jones, old man, give me a knock-down
to that stunning young lady you so often
wife. Your wife?' I cried; no: your
daughter! My mistake, ladies Of the
jury, was natural, for where is one more
fair or younger than the beautiful and
accomplished Mrs. Odigo-J ones"'
The, prisoner paused moment over
come by his emotion, and then proceeded.
Then, too it was that Mr.. John Van
John took me home with him one day to
dinner. Never shall | forget that de.
lightful meal: Especially shall [ remem-
Der little Willy Van-John, whose bright
and witty sayings enlivened the table.
and whose perfect manners made me
wish that all mothers were Mrs. Van
Johns. But, alas! when l emerge from
my prison little Willy will be man, and
1 will no more see him in his childish
merriment!''
Here the prisoner raised his shackled
hands and wiped away tear.
Ladies of the jury it humiliates me
TO be obliged to stand a Wretched crim-
inal before the eyes of that queen of
charity and righteousness. Mrs. Cornelia
Hobbs. Many time have l kept my
eyes upon her as 1 sat in Saint Simon's
church, forgetful of preacher and SER
mon, and finding a better sermon in that
graciously benevolent face, SO full of
the glory of the kingdom. 1t was that
face that kept my hands from wicked
ness for years, and had she not jour-
neyed to foreign chimes, and thus re-
moved her helpful influence from me,
should not now be here
Mrs. Hobbs was observed shedding
tears, and the sobs of the prisoner We're
so powerful as to stop his utterance for
many seconds. When he had regained
his self-control, he continued:
Ladies' of the jury, in the box before
me l see nine radiant, beautiful young
women, anyone of whom might claim for
herself the wealth and title of foreign
lands. But with the nobleness of true-born
American citiZenesses. they scorn such
paltry baubles, and, thrusting them
aside, choose to retain for awhile the
mantles of virginity.
Here the nine Spinsters were observed
to assume less severe cOuntenances.
"But ladies of the jury. although the
weight of my coming punishment hangs
heavy upon me, there is a still greater
pain that wracks my whole being. Must
/ confess? Alas, yes! why should l con-
hidden in my heart? Ladies, [ have
loved, loved deeply and passionately, and
above my station. For a year before
my apprehension had in silent faithful
ness cherished in my heart the image of
one of the young ladies OF the jury. But
l was poor. In my love and desperation
/ allowed myself to go astray. Think
ing the sooner to be able to lay my life
and love at her feet, l let my hands fall
upon my employers wealth. and for her
sake l became q criminal. Ladies, will
not subject the object of my love to the
infamy of being named in this place.
1T is enough that she sits in yonder box,
a paragon of youth and beauty, the star
of my life; she who has so long been
the unconscious prize for which l la
OOfe0. ana NOW, ALAS! the prize is lOIu
from my grasp, my poor heart is crushed,
and my life becomes dark. dismal dun
geon! Oh. ladies! it is not for freedom
plead, it is for respite, that | may be
bound by the chains of loving wedlock
to the angel of my dreams.
himself He sank into his chair and
buried his head in his arms, while his
Sobs seemed to shake the room.
The jury filed slowly out of the court
room.
In minute they filed slowly back.
The forewoman arose.
Ladies of the jury said the Judge,
Shave you we'll considered your verdlct!
I'VE havew replied the forewoman,
firmly
Guilty or not guilty."
mot guiltyv cried the entire jury
in one voice.
And that evening the embeZzler re-
ceived twelve invitations to tea.-Ellls
Parker Butler in Puck.
College Mothers and College Daughters.
What wonderful thing it would be if
some ingenious person would invent
mirror which should reflect to us our past
selves! Not the real underlying present
Self-that were too diSheartening, anu
it is wise provision in nature that has
yelled it; but past phases of development
that we might now and then take an
our minus or plus condition. Whether
the result showed a deficit or. an ac-
emulation, we should perhaps be bene-
fitted. and certainly surprised. l found
myself confronted the other day with
such mirror as that. only it was double
faced, and personified in two typical col
lege girls. One was gay-hearted and
tride feather-headed, but altogether
alert, intelligent and charming. The
other was solemn and elaborate in man.
ner, took herself with seriousness, and
seemed weighed down by an accumula-
ton of facts, whose specific gravity had
killed all inclination to laughter. Were
we girls, on whom the first experiments
in college-training were tried like either
of those types? | determined to ask
Aspasia. who of all my friends, can be
depended on to help out a just conclu-
sion. She took the matter into considera-
tion and admitted that the present under
graduate was absorbing a good deal of
analysis and comparison.
"No." said Aspasia. thoughtfully. eve
were not like those girls; we were not