The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-01-12

+, husband, almost at hiI side, when he was
killed. though she claims not to have seen
the person who fired the shot. She knows
that she is pointed out with the silent finger
OF Scorn by many who had once admired
her for her accomplishments and beauty.
She knows that when she steps before the
tribunal half the people of the United
states, aroused by the interest attaching to
her case, are watching, ready to sympathiza
II they can. just as ready to excoriate ard
condemn II they think they must. She
knows that she will be the center of a long
ana trying legal battle, the stakes Of which
are at best imprisonment against vindica-
tion.
Yet. if her demeanor is as il has been thus
far. she will rise before the Judge. the iury
and all the world. and say, coolly, in a
low tone that will. because of the quality of
her voice, penetrate every nook and cram
ny of the Justice chamber:
II am net guilty"
She Will be clad in black. in a gown art
fully made and fitted. mourning for that
husband with encompassing whose death
she is charged. The courtroom will be
crowded. The Judge will be clothed in his
most awning judicial manner. The jury
VIII be agape to gain some conception of
what manner of woman they are to pass
Judgment upon.
1t will be an impressive and dramati mo-
ment.
Il am not guilty"
VIA 70 R-W0RD
IA" STATEMENT.
This is what she will say. All she has
said for the public. aside from her testi-
mony before the Coroner. is:
The evidence will show"
a sentence concise. n~oncommit,al. Four
words, such as could be accredited TO a pol
ltician ION the fence or a lawyer who de-
clines TO talk for publication" But not a
womans sentence. Yet this is her attitude,
the gist of what she says. by word or act,
to the world at large. 1t is hard to pry
behind the veil and find the little things,
but a few do crop out, and. in her privacy,
you find her a womanly woman, after all.
Beautiful, vivacious and happy" she
was. Beautiful in a way. she now is. but
not vivacious. not happy and not a laugher.
Her beauty is no longer the prettiness of
curved cheek and form. though her figure is
not wasted. 1t is now OF an odd kind,
strongly individual, that would not take a
mans breath away by forcing him to adj
mire. but which would fluster him. so that
he would make a pitiful stagger at attempt
ing &c converse with her. Her ordeal has
printed curious lines on her face, and. pass
ing her, you would follow her with your
eyes, wondering who and what she might
be.
She wears an expression defiant, yet there
is a retreating something in the eyes,
which do not, however, falter before yours;
she returns a stare with interest, with a
shade of anger in II, and as she looks at
you the corners of her mouth, that must
once have turned up from laughing. turned
hahitually now, are drawn still more. |
She seems to say:
Yes. this is 1. Mrs. Richardson, who am
charged with killing my husband
NERVOUS STRENGTH
ON HER FACE.
There Is no shrinking. only that dis
tant "retreating something which seems
to beg mercy, not of you nor of any person.
but of the fate which compels her to Se
thus scrutinized. But the totality of i'm
Is that kind of nervous strength.
If one We're to arrogantly assume himself |
to be a little court of justice, and should !
say, looking at her: |
Can she have done that of which she is |
!
The answer is that she has strength !
enough indicated in her face for anything; /.
yet. with the qualification that IL she is '
strong enough for this. she Is also strong