Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-10-20

gentlemen of the jury, hallow her
Here, with what tenderness /
may, l place her naked soul upon the
utmost pinnacle of honor; and see. in
this, her lying, that souls most beau
uful product and most lovely fruit.
Told though it was to send a guiltless
villain to the gallows, it is the ripe
juice of the tangled vine of her torn
heart, pressed out, bleeding its lowell.
ness and its repentance, for the say.
ing of him who dares not save him
self See her problem: see the strug
gle that rends her. And she nerves
herself" he wheeled upon her with a
look of alteration, "a heroine stained
and wretched, nerves herself to sacri-
flee the guiltless wicked for the
guilty and the beloved. And l honor
her for it,
| No admiration from me for a pale
and svstematized morality: for truth
that is true only because tied to some
old rule that prohibits lie Rather
than morality honor that which calls
FOR a soul to rise when caught be,
tween two millstones, and hurl down
one. And so this woman caught as
she was between the millstones OF
the problem, now breaks upon my
view with something of grandeur
She has did the noblest thing tina,
woman'S heart could do; she has led"
Now his form went through its last
agitation; on her he turned his
solemn eyes, and seemed to dream.
IF | We're that man that loved her
and who, because his love would not be
slam and would not lie, stained his
hand in blood to break the chain: II
| were that miserable wretch. haunt,
ed, hiding suffering day and night the
tortures of the damned, worshipina
her still, breeding on the scattered
embers of his life, fearing that the in
nocent might suffer for his crime vet
daring not to come forth and drag
himself, and her, to death: if | were
| That crushed and pitiable being. |
would see in this lie light upon her
! love, and know that it answered mine
and lived yet and sprang up pure and
repentant out of the dregs And with
all my soul" he raised his face as
though he threw the great weight off
with all my soul l would forgive
! her"
He paused and stood; at length he
turned to look about, as though dazed
and then he sat him down. AS he did
so the terror departed from her eyes.
! she melted; she flung down her head
upon the polished oak, and broke into
sobs.
The jury sighed, as with a strain
renewed, and sank back into strange
hypnotic torpor, from which not even
inc hottest blasts of eloquence from
the prosecuting attorney who (having
saved his objections till now poured
out reputation for an hour. could
rouse them. A bitterness was in the
woods OF counsellor the prosecution:
the hush of embattled failure was on
MS brow During his speech. coun
sci for the defense sat motionless.
ana me woman raised not her head
reward evening verdict was render
ed-not guilty.
Most OF the audience had departed
long since. Counsel for the defense
whose eve had seemed to pierce the
panels of the jury's door, arose, and
| threw back his shoulders and breath.
ed long, long sigh He took his bat,
and seeing no one, stalked toward the
door with sedate tread.
Suddenly the freed man was before
him; his face a mixture of gratitude
and dastardliness. He was pale with
relief and thrust out a clean, nervous
hand.
Counsel for the defense looked
through him; counsel for the defense
looked over him. the shadow of his
| inutterable scorn was on the lawyers
face-and disappeared. He left the
hand untaken and stalked out
The California sky was red with
the dying fires Of day, flushed were
the magnolia blooms, and all the
trees were still like waxen things in
the hush of the evening. Away yon-
/ der down the straight and level
streets, new with the bright enter
woman. And here strobe he.
The railway station was far away;
but she walked thither. train was
leaving for Newport beach, and board
ing it she sat down. The past, the
present. the future, were as a veil
woven between the world and her set
face.
Through the rear door of the car
came counsel for the defense, and
likewise sat him down dozen seats
behind her. Amid walnut groves,
then over the wide barley fields Of
the San Joaquin ranch, rushed the
train. The distant mountains were
losing the last pink flush; the air o.
ocea- fluttered in. The woman's
head leaned back, and she stared az
the roof of the car.
Out on the wharf, as though Il would
cool its steamy fury in the waters Of
the sea. the train halted. She came
out, and passing her hand across her
wide, dumb eyes, gazed at the little re
sort beautiful in the first shades o.