Year: 1867

and natural submissiveness which char
acterises girls of her age: nor was there
any susceptibility of disposition ever in
timated on her part since he was a
stranger to his own home, and never
INDUCED in the sweet and benign CON-
munion which always exists between pa
rent aud child. Thus the 6lial ties of af.
fection were severed at the very time
when Amy had most need of direction
and advice.


Youth seldom paralizes under'afaiction.
Amy slumbercd after long hours of men
tai fatigue. She prayed ere she laid her
head upon the rude pillow, and commit
ted herself to Him who ever watches over
the desolate. 1t was long night of un-
easiness and fever, and the morning
brought no brighter prospect to the suf-
ferer.


=


The court house was densely crowded.
1t was bright day in June, 1856. Judge
Hamilton presided. At an early hour
people collected from far and near to discuss
the probable issue of the chief trial. In
tense interest was manifested by every
one. Those who did not personally know
her, upon her history being told, gravely
shook their heads and uttered indistinct
and severe reflections on Reuben Fisher
1t was suspected that he had absconded,
and rumors spread that the authorities
were Offering large reward for his ap-
prehension. Amy, in the meantime, was
placed at the bar, indicted for the unlaw-
full possession of counterfeit money. She
heard the indictment read with a heavy
and trembling heart A low murmur of
commiseration pervaded the Court, and
with burning cheek she concealed her
face in her hands. II was a moment of
silent and heart feeling suspense. Poor
Amy was pale, sickly and careworn. Her
frmness of mind, which had hitherto
supported her through vicissitudes nearly
as trying as the present, now almost for
sock her, and with trembling and al
most inaudible tone, she reiterated in an
swer to the accusation " Not Guilty" =
The usual preliminaries we're gone through
= evidences were substantiated, and the
jury, after short deliberaiion, returned
a verdict of Guilty" Every eye was
riveted on the prisoner who, with falter-
ing voice, cried =" Mercy mercy. have
mercy on my father! my poor fatherp'


The Court arose tumultuously. Hith-
erto she stood singled out as a felon and
a counterfeiter; now a new and unaffect-
ed sympathy was manifested in her favor.
Every one looked to the Bench for the is
sue. Whatever lenity might be given her
on account of Ter years, it was evident that
the Court tenaciously affirmed their be-
lief in her guilt The evidence was d.
rect : without variation and implication
of doubt, and unless the Court overlooked
its duty, it was certain that the sentence
would be both severe and unmitigated.


The Court retired until the following
day.


*


1t was midnight The great bell of St.
Nicholas's had chimed the hour of twelve.
A social party had assembled in one of
these uptown hotels of the great City to
do honor to their profession. They were
social gamblers, that is, they were local
in their mode of speculation, and never
staked their effects on the fortunes of the
turf. Happily they lived and traded
among themselves, except on occasions,
when rich booty offered itself in the
shape of young heir. This they termed
"plucking," for the newly y-hedged pos
SCISSOR was seldom allowed to find matter
for redress in any certain individual. He
seldom knew which of them had made
him ruined man; and moreover, it
rarely happened that the unfortunate
went away without the fatal 81. o. u"
This last is generally debt of honor;
and we have knowledge of young men of
this imaginary purity who, rather than
merit reproach from their vile associ-
ates, plunged at once into fraud, forgery,
and crime. They are ruined by the in
fatuation of gaming = every thing will
be resorted to in order to retrieve their
losses, till, finally, they are leagued with
their betrayers, for the ruin and degra-
dation of their younger companions. =
Then add to the vice of gaming all the
fearful and inconceivable modes of dissi-
patton aud dishonesty.


Six men had seated themselves round
table, in a private room in one of these
dimly lighted palaces, which abound in
the city of New York. There were two
only engaged in card-playing, while the
rest looked on, evidently interested in the
issue of the game. The one was Reuben
Fisher the other tall military looking
man, somewhat more advanced in years
The latter won the game, when Fisher
rose from his seat and went out.


He seems to be annoyed about that
ere imp Of a GIRL" said looker-on as
soon as Fisher closed the door.


Yes. They say she is locked up for
a year in the Pcnitentiary."


wonder how the old cone will stand
the news? for my part, think that Rube
has no more of pity in his breast than a
wolf. He hadn't use to be pitiful."