Year: 1861

Fl Ito4i0r NJ late OF the hdSSacnu
sstts BAR, for long time enjoyed an en-
viable reputation and lucrative prac
tice-was honored by his constituents
with many important trusts, and has
often been cited as an example of rapid
progress and quick success Nothing
howeves, is really wider from the truth
than that Counsellor NJ rose rapidly in
his profession; little do they suspect
that he was sound practical lawyer
and had been ten years in the profession,
before the circumstances occurred that
called him into public notice, gave him
an extensive reputation, and introduced
him into higher and more lucrative
sphere of practice. His Office, was at
the time, located in the great manufae-
turing city of New England, some TWEEN
ty-fve miles from Boston. He was
seated one day in his Office. examining
u recent volume of Reports, and COM
pairing the principles it contained with
the English common law, when young
ssstsGE seht5red whom lie rShie nlU8red TO
have seen in some way connected with
one of the manufacturing corporations
He was. an intelligent, good-looking
man, apparently of about twenty five
years, and dressed in the garb of the
better class Of operatives in the mills.
He was possessed of that independent
and self-reliant air that distinguishes


merican mechanic from the labor


1asses Of all the world, and indi-
Gates degree of intellectual cultivation
which is at the same time the pride of
our citizens and the safety of the repub-
lie. An expression Of deep anxiety was
upon his countenance, and he proceeded
at once to say


6 | wish to consult with you upon a
matter Of deep importance, involving
the integrity and happiness of a poor
but virtuous and honorable family. A
young woman by the name of Lucy
Kendall, who is engaged as weaver in
the mill, and indeed in the very room
in which I am overseer, is accused of
grand larceny under circumstances of
the most grave suspicion. Public opin-
ion is very much against her, but am
satisfied she is innocent of the crime
The net of circumstances seem inextri-
cable, but she must be saved in some
way and at any hazard"


The Counsellor suggested that per-
haps she is really guilty of the charge


i" No, no, he answered, "it is impos-
sible | have known her from child.
We were schoolm ates together in one of
the little villages among the granite hills
of New Hampshire. Her father was a
man of considerable property then, and
[ was poor mans son; but we were
in the same classes in the village school.
She was two Or three years younger than
l, but l looked upon her, even then, as
the personifcation of virtue and good
ness and the bright example she set US
then, and the admiration | had for her
character in those school-boy days, has
never since been lost At the age of
eighteen 1 left my native village; and
came here as an operative in cotton
mill, in which have been eyer since
engaged. [ lost sight of Miss Kendall
till year ago last summer, at which
time she came here and entered the mill
as weaver and then [ learned for the
first time that her fathers circumstances
had changed sadly-that he had lost all
his property except small farm On the
outskirts of the village, on which also
there was a mortgage of five hundred
dollars pressing for payment. She had
come from home in order to assist in
raising the necessary funds to pay of
the incumbrance by her labor in the
mill F.; and she had continued to work
most industriously for thaA purpose UP
to the time the circumstances happened
that have brought her under this unfor,
tunate suspicion. All my former opin-
ions of her worth are stronger than ever
since the renewal of our acquaintance


and having been in the receipt of three
dollars day for the past four years, and
saved large portion Of my wages,
have repeatedly offered to lend her tht


balance to pay off her fathers indebted


ness, which she has uniformly declined
She is now accused of stealing from the


office of the corporation a package O


money containing five hundred dollar


on the Globe Bank, Bostoa-and ha


been arrested on the charge. The ex


animation takes place this afternoon, ant


l am requested to engage you as he


counsel"


He then proceeded to narrate the cir


eumstances of the arrest, but it is un


necessary to repeat them here, as the,


will appear in the sequel.


=" And you really believe" remarke'


the Counsellor, after he had listened t.


the narration, that she is innocent o


th0ncRarge.'