The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1896-02-07
III the :sDtl, Centurv

-, "Pfisoner." said the judge. "would Won
!lke to address the jury before it retires
to consider your case?'
Inc prisoner was young man. 1t
had shown that he was guilty of nmhaz-
I'm znhs 4 vast amount from his employer.
Inc races Of the jurywomen were Stern
and relentless. 1t was evident that the
verdict would be Guilty" THANK YOU.
Judge said the prisoner rising; there
to the jury" '' coo
Ibel: turning to the jury, he bowed
Ladies' Of the jury" he said; 1t is
with pain that find myself here today
in this disgraccful position. '''
y year ago l was not as | am now.
Ny head was then free from the charges
' tl,at are now heaped upon it. and my
i nnn,,, III, mns ia by crime. Some of you
khe" me ~ those halcyon days. 1t was
then that 1 first met your worthy fore,
woman, Mrs. 0digo-Joncs. We wcre in
troduced by Mr.. Odigo-Jones. had
asked for the Introduction. | had said
zones. Ola man, give HE a knock-down
70 that stunning voting lady you so often
walk with And he said. That is nv
daughter: My mistake, ladies Of the
Jury, was natural. for where is one more
falr or younger than the beautiful and
accomplished Mrs. Odigo-Jones? -
Inc prisoner paused Il moment, over
come e, by his emotion, and then proceeded.
,Ihen, too, it was that Mr.. John Van.
John took me homo with him one day to
dinner. Never shall forget that de-.
ilghtful meal. Especially shall l remem.
her little Willy Van-John, whose bright
and witty sayings enlivencd the table.
ana whose perfect manners made me
wish that all mothers were Mrs Van,
Johns: But alas: when l emerge from
my prison little Willy will bc man, and
| will no more see him in his Childish,
tnerriment"'
Here the prisoner raised his sllacklc,l
hands and wiped away tear
l-adies of the jury it huoniliates me
to be obliged to stand wretched Grim,
ilal before the eyes of that queen of
charity and righteousness. Mrs Cornelia
eyes upon her as sat in Saint Simon's
church. forgetful of preacher and SER
mon: and finding better sermon in that
graciously benevolent face so full of
the glory of the kingdom. 1t was that
face that kept my hunds from wicked
ness for years, and had she not jour.
neyed to foreign clines. and thus re-
should not now be here:''
Mrs. Hobbs was observed shedding
tears, and the sobs of the prisoner were
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
Inc | see nine radiant, beautiful young
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 yirginity."
to assume less severe countenances.
But ladies of the jury. although the
weight of my coming punishment hangs
heavy u2on me, there is still greater
pain that wracks my whole being. Must
I confess? Alas, yes! why should con-
coal at this time what l have so long
hidden in my heurt?, Ladies'. have
loved. loved deeply and passionately. and
above my station: For Il year before
my apprehension had. in silent faithful
ness cherished in my heart the image of
orc of the young ladies of the Jury. But
! was poor. In my love and desperation
| allowed myself to 20 astray. Think
ing the sooner tn be able to lay my lie
and love ut her feet, let my hands fall
sake l became Il criminal. Ladies. will
not subject the object of my love to the
infany of being named III this place.
1t is enough that she sits i'll yuntlcr box.
Il paragon Of youth and beauty, the star
of my life; she who has so long been
the unconscious prize for which l la
bored. And now, alas! the prize is torn
from my grasp, my poor heart is crushed.
and my life becomes Il dark. dismal dun
geon: Oh. ladies! it is not for freedom
| plead, it is for respite, that l may be
bound by the chains of loving wedlock
to the angel of my Dreams
The prisoner could no longer control
himself. He sank into his chair ami
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.
have YOU we'll considered your verdict"
I'VE have:' replied the forcwoman.
firmly.
"Guity or not guilty."
Not guilty. cried the entire jury
in one voice.
And that evening the embczzler re-
ceived twelve invitations to tca.-Ellis
Parker Butler in Puck