Year: 1861

tune-teilers were consulted, and they
mathematical the woodman. Signs were
attended TO with all the formality of ju-
dicial inquiry, and even these condemned
the unfortunate young man.


When spring came, it was discovered
that large oak tree, celebrated for its
age and majesty, did not put forth leaf.
1t grew near by-road, which led to the
river below the fall and as no other cause
could DO assigned for its blighted appear
ance, it was attributed TO one which now
met the popular suspicion among the Ger
mans. They called it the blasted tree
and located the place where the strangers
blood was shed beneath its branches.--
Withered by the hot breath of murder,
they declared it should bloom again when
ever the murderer should be brought to
justice, and his blood sprinklcd on its dry
roots. i ...p's. rri rI


Five years passed away, and old i'm
pressions and vague suspicious grew
stronger as years departed. Hurlbut was
surrounded by young and dependent
family; but superstition had fixed an in
delible mark on his character, and he was
followed by the eye of jealousy, which
watched his actions, his countenance and
his words, while it Stunned It's associa-
ton. The man became restless and un-
happy; he felt sensibly the weight Of a
sullied reputation, and though he had dis
regarded it for many years, he began TO
sink under its influence into moroseness
and disquictudc. .ti


About this Time, some huntsmen in
the pursuit of game which had sheltered
in the blasted tree, cut it down, and, 10 |!
from the old trunk fell the withered bones
Of human being; they were examined
by an anatomist, and declared to be the
perfect parts of the skeleton of a man,
whom they judged, might have been de-
posted there four or five years before
An opening in the trunk, somo distance
from the ground, confirmed the probabil-
ity of the story. The Germans and their
neighbors caught it up eagerly, and the
fate of the unfortunate woodman seemed
fixed. He fled the storm he saw gather
ing, but in month returned and surren-
dercd himself up for trial.


The excitement of the populace ran
high, and as the day fixed for his trial
drew near, the hopes of his acquital van
ishad. The mass of the people were sure
of his guilt, and they collected the evi-
dence against him with an activity and
zeal which savored rather of the spirit of
bitter persecution, than of love of JUS
tice. l leave the reader to imagine for
himself the feelings of tender wife, and
six destitute little children, as they look
ed forward through the gathering cloud
to the day that was to fix his destiny,
while / hasten 10 the crowded courtroom,
and the solemn arraignment of the hus-
band and father for the crime of murder.


The prisoner stood pale and detected,
but silent and resigned, at tho bar, and
answered with calm and steady voice,
"Not Guilty" to the charge. He was
asked if he had counsel; he answered in
the negative, and requested that assistance
might be assigned him. The Judge cast
his eyes around the court, rs if careless
y in search of some one, on whom to lay
what, as his manner seemed TO indicate,
he thought a hopeless task, when an old
gentleman, whose presence amid the throng
had not been noticed, rose and introduced
himself as Mr.. -, an eminent lawyer
of the city. The court bowed respect
fully, and look of astonishment was
visible on every face when he asked the
privilege of acting as the defendants
counsel.


1t was granted, however, unhesitating-
ly, and he resumed his seat. When the
witnesses had been heard on the side OF
the prosecution, he rose and addressed the
court. He recollected the prisoner; he
remembered, that on the night on which
The evidence went to fix the murder, he
had employed the prisoner in the capaci-
ty of a guide, and was conducted by him
over the ford; that he missed his way,
and did not reach the lower fcrd to which
he had intended to 90, but travelled by
another direction to the city. In regard
to the bones so mysteriously found. he
had two evidences to prove, he said, that
the very physician who pronounced them
human and of five years decay, and who
was bitter enemy Of the defendant, had
placed them there himself; that they had
for many years before decked corner Of
his study. The first was boy who as
sisted in placing them there, and the sec
ond was the aperture in the trunk of the
tree itself, which, Mt the entrance was not
more than FIVE inches in diameter, and,
therefore, utterly incapable of admitting
a human body. He sat down with accla-
nations of astonishment; the proof went
on; the defendant was acquitted without
an argument, aud the corrupt and reveng-
ful physician just escaped from the village
time enough to save his neck.


This is tho story Of tho blasted tree.
Il has moral. How dangerous is SUI
perstition How carefully should circum-
stantial evidence be examined, and how
| ,;orsl,, ,yaiohed I How decnntiye the