The globe. (Huntingdon, Pa.) 1856-1877, January 06, 1858, Image 1

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eltrf tc(tT.
MY FIRST BRIEF
A LE/LE EROII A COUNSELLOR'S NOTE BOOK
BY JOHN' D. WILLIAMS, M. D
With the exception of medicine, there is
no profession so difficult to obtain a footing
in as law. It frequently happens that the
best years of a young man's life are passed
in some obscure street waiting for a stepping
stone which is to lead. him to professional
honor, and what is more important still, put
money in his purse. No one knows but those
who have had stern experience for their men
tor, all a young man has to go through before
he can obtain a respectahle position in this
world of competition and cares. 'None but
these can tell of the heart sickness, a thous
and times worse than any bodily ailment,
which these strivers after reputation are obli
ged to suffer. But there is one satisfaction.
With a steady purpose, sterling integrity,
and unflinching perseverance, the day of for
tune will come; it may be delayed—but come
it eventually must, and then, when the end
is gained, the struggles to attain it appear
much less than they really - were.
In 1846 I was admitted to the bar. I shall
E...3ver forget my feelings of pride when I saw
for the first time my name,
HENRY MELTON,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
in all the glory of gilt letters on a black la
bel, nailed to the front of a dingy looking
house in Chambers street, in the city of Ne w
York. Know then, gentle reader, my offices
were situated in that same house. They were
two in number; the first being a kind of re
ception room, and the other my sanctum , . I
remember how the latter was furnished dis
tinctly, although so al arly years have inter
vened since then. The principal articles of
furniture were two largo book eases, contain
ing my library—the lower shelves were filled
with large books; bound in sheepskin, and
backed with a red title. The upper shelves
contained works of a little lighter dese,rip
tion, and if the truth must be told, the latter
were taken down much oftener than the
for
mer.
Well I seated myself at my desk the same
day that the before-mentioned shingle was
exhibited outside, and expected that I should
soon be overyvelmed with business, but I soon
found myself deceived; day after day pat sed,
and not a soul called. I was in dispair, my
small means were sl6wly oozin:2: - say, tor,
in spite of all my economy, I was obliged to;
eat.
Sir, months passed away and I had net a
single client. One day I heard a ring at the
bell, but I took no heed of it nuts; when I
first occuiped my office such a peal as Our
would have caused me to pas my han , ',
through my hair, straighten dt,wn my vesi
and seize one of the pale, yellow bound book ,
with red titles—but I had been so often dr
ceived, that I scarcely noticed it now, c.
only expected my boy to enter stating thr.
"a man wanted twenty-live cents for tl
Herald," or some otlier demand upon m
purse. What, then, was my surprise, who.
the boy opened. the door, saying with .
"If you plenze, sir, there's a lady wan=
to speak to you?"
- I started, and vas completely drimbfoun ,
ecl for a moment; but the boy looked at u
with so curious a glance, which appeared' ,
say "first client," that I immed'ately rec
ered myself, and assuming all the dignity' .
could command, I told the boy to inform tizi
lady that I should he disengrged in a fo
minutes.
After having arranged some paper on ny
desk, and taken down one of the aforesn
sheepskin bound volumes, I requested the 1:1
to show the lady in.
Immediately afterwards she was usherl
into the room. I had no opportunity of juts,-
ing whether she was old or young, as she Ilts
closely veiled. It was evident she had 11-
cently suffered some los:4 in her family, or
she was dressed in deep black. I invited len
to be seated, and placed myself in a listenhig
attitude.
`Have I the pleasure of speaking to
Melton?' she asked in a musical voice.
. _
I bowed affirmatively.
'I wish to consult von, sir,' she contived
in the same clear voice, on a matter Adolf
nearly concerns my happiness. I wil at .
once lay the case before you for your opioni
I should first teli . my name is INl'Leod,
,caret M'Leod—'
"M'Leod?" I interrupted, with a stns.-7
"Not any relation to the gentleman who ast
week was--" I hesitated to finish the .en
tence.
"Murdered you were about to say,”she
Continued. "Yes, sir, lam his daughtc.--7
And she lifted her veil from her face ache
said this, revealing features of unsurpasod
loveliness.
I gazed with increased interest on mOir
visitor, for the fact is, the murder of Jones
M'leod had made a great noise. The plus
had been filled with the details of it (icing
the past week.
" You are aware," continued Miss . 111'eod
"that 'a young man named Ilarvey
ston is arrested on suspicion of having 9m
mitted the deed; but 1 lenozo him to be 3 1 1.9 -
cent."
"Indeed?" I returned, "how is that ?
i.ES.ip
pearances are very much against him, we
can judge by newspaper reports."
"I tell you he is innocent, innocent?' she
exclaimed, bursting into a flood of tens-- -
"Harvey could never have committd: a
crime like that! 0, you don't knowhP,
sir, if you did, not the slightest shade olstts
picion would remain on your mind Or; a
minute."
By the vehement tone in which she ad
dressed me, I immediately penetrated hr
se
cret, that she was in love with Harvey ,131ln
ston. I gently hinted that such was thecese i
to her; she immediately acknowledged t to
be the truth.
SI. 50
WILIAN LEWIS,
V(1, MIL
I bsought the young lady to lay the whole
facts of the case before me as she knew
thorn This she proceeded to do, and the
substince of her statement was as follows.
:‘ll. James 11I'Leod was a retired merchant
livin; up town, 'as Bleeker street was then
call : He was a widower, his family con
sistilg of himself, his daughter—the only
chile hehad, a middle aged lady who ac
ted s a kind of governess, and two female
sernnts.
Yr. M'Leod was a very stern man, who
ner , r changed an opinion, and who would be
obered to the letter in the household. He
sefo:ely ever smiled, but passed through the
woild unloving and unloved. It is true his
onl: daughter, Margaret, sometimes appeared
to nften him, but still he never seemed to re
gad her with the fondness of a parent. He
wa3 piblite to her, and that was all. As for
Ahrg,aret, she loved her father as much as
hi. cold nature would allow her, but never
indrig received any tokens of love from him,
it :an scarcely be wondered that her affection
wLsmore a matter of duty than feeling.
Up to within a year from the date of this
history, they had lived a very retired life,
seing little or no company. 'Their house in
Bricker street was a very large one, so they
eLald only occupy a small portion of it, and
17ernember the impression of loneliness con
v,yed to my mind by Miss M'Leod, when
s•.o was describing the uninhabited part of
tie house.
I One day her father informed her that he
LI made an engagement for her and himself
t, spend the evening with a former partner
ri his. It was here she first met Harvey
Johnston, and they were soon attached to
, ach other. They became fast friends, and
he,friendship soon ripened into love. For a
ength of time they met clandestinely, Mar-
Caret not daring to make her father acquain
' - ed.with her passion. At length Harvey per
" waded her to allow him to make known his
uit to Mr. INPLeed. He did so, and met
vith an indignant refusal; in fact, Marga.-
Vet's father had even gone so far as to insult
dm, and forbid him from ever speaking to
lais daughter again. It is scarcely needless
'to! say that his orders were disobeyed—the
lovers corresponded and met as before. At
'last Margarct M'Leod made up her mind
!that if her father would not give his consent
to. her marriage, she would marry without
it; , but she wised Harvey to make one more
dfort.
. 1 This brings us down to the day of the inur
der. On that night Harvey paid Mr. M'Leod
visit, about 9 o'clock in the evening—high
words were heard to pass between them, and
4 •
'theru was a hiabil.
About eleven o'clock the same night a po
liceman was walking down Bleeker street,
ani discovering Mr. l‘l'Leod's front door
open, he mounted the steps in order to close
it, when lie fancied he heard the noise of
footsteps in the houtse. He entered and as
.cended the stairs. 'When he reached the
front drawing room a terrible sight met his
gaze. Mr. M'Leod was lying all his length
on the floor stone dead. A pool of blood was
beside the body, as well as a knife with which
the deed had evidently been committed, for
it was proved upon a further examination
that his throat had been cut from car to ear.
But the strangest part of the story was that
Harvey Johnston was discovered in the room
with the murdered man. When the police
man first entered the room he discovered him
groping around the walls, for the apartment
'was quite dark until the policeman brought
'his lantern. Of course, Johnston was arres
ted, and the proof against him appeared
overwhelming, for it was found that the knife
'with which the murder had been committed
belonged to him. A coroner's jury was sum
moned, and Harvey Johnston was committed
to take his trial at the ensuing assizes for the
wilful murder of Mr. M'Leod, and every one
who read the details of the coroner's inquest
appeared perfectly satisfied of, his guilt.
Such was the substance of Miss r.d.'Leod's
statement to me, of course in her relation
she frequently wept, and. made - repeated as
servations of her lover's innocence.
"Now, Mr. Melton," she added, as she con
cluded, "I want you to undertake his case—
and for Heaven's sake do everything you can
for him, for I confess to you that all my
hopes of happiness in this world are wrapt
up in him. Spare no expense—l am certain
it will be proved that he is innocent."
"But my dear young lady, I am afraid his
case is desperate. What is his explana
tion?"
"I have neither seen nor heard from
him since his arrest, but I feel he is inno
cent." •
"I am confident such evidence as that will
be of but little avail to him in a court of
justice; however, I will call and see him, and
hear his statement; I will then let you know
the result."
With a reiterated request that I should
spare no expense, and promising to call the
next day, the young lady took her leave.
The moment she had gone, I put on my
hat, and wended my way to the Toombs.—
After Making my business known, I had no
difficulty in Ataining access to the prisoner,
and was immediately conducted to him. I
found myself in the presence of a fine look
ing young man about five and twenty y.-ars
of age. He was possessed of a fine open
countenance, and I sought in vain to discover
the slightest indication of guilt in any one
feature. All was placid and serene there.—
I made known my business to him, at the
same time stating that I had been sent there
by Miss M'Leod.
"Poor girl!" exclaimed he, the moment I
mentioned her name, "she believes in my
innocence then. Yes, yes, I know that it
must be so, she knows me too well to suppose
for a moment that I could commit such a hor
rible deed I"
Ile paused an instant and hurriedly wiped
away a tear, supposing that I did not notice
him.
"I have now been incarcerated here for
more than• a week," he continued, after a
pause, " and yet I cannot realize the fact, it
appears like a hideous dream to me. I ask
myself is it possible I can be arrested for 71Zill-
tier? And for the murder of the father of
my own dear girl? But no jury can bring
me in guilty."
" Mr. Johnston," I replied, " truth compels
me to state that the evidence against you is
fearfully strong."
" Why, Mr. Melton, you surely . do not be
lieve me guilty of this hideous crime ?" said
he, his face flushing with indignation.
" Let me hear your statement," I replied,
and then I will answer your question. You
are aware of the nature of the evidence against
you. It can he summed up in a few words.
A gentleman is found murdered in his draw - -
ing room—a policeman enters the apartment
and discovers you there alone with the mur
dered man—and the deed is found to be com
mitted with your bowie-knife, besides your
clothes being sprinkled with the victim's
blood."
" Mr. Melton," replied the prisoner, lifting
up his hand to Heaven, " I swear before God
that I knew nothing of the murder until the
policeman entered the room with his lantern.
The discovery of the horrid deed inspired me
with as much surprise and terror as it did
him."
I looked at Johnston after he had uttered
these words, to see if he were not deranged.
But no, his countenance was perfectly calm
and collected.
"Explain yourself'," I exclaimed, "for the
life of me, I cannot understand you. You ap
pear to me to be speaking in paradoxes."
" I will give you. a plain statement of what
I know of the matter. You can form your
own opinion as to how far I am implicated in
it. On the night in question I went to pay
McLeod a visit, in order to obtain if possible
his consent to my marriage to hiS daughter
Margaret. I found him in the front drawing
room. I suppose it was about nine o'clock
when I visited the house. Mr. M'Leod re
ceived me very haughtily. I should say some
months ago 1 had an interview with him on
the same subject, which passed off anything
but satisfactorily. The moment I broached
the matter again to him, he became very vio
lent, and used very harsh language to me—
at length my blood was up, and I believe I
retorted in very strong words. I have no
idea how long this interview lasted; it must
have been sometime, however, for I felt it my
duty to enter into a considerable explanation,
and to free myself from various charges he
brought against me. At last I took up my
hat to go, and had already turned towards
the door, when some one approached me from
behind, and clapped a handkerchief to my
mouth,,saturated, I suppose, with chloroform,
for in a moment I was senseless, and God is
my witness that I am utterly ignorant of all
that passcid iu the room .."ter thrz: ; . - I only
recovered my senses a few minutes before the
policeman entered with a light. And this is
all I know about the matter.
Whilst Johnston was making this explana
tion, I scrutinized his face closely, but could
not detect the slightest appearance of decep
tion in his features.
"But how do you account for the murder
having been committed with your bowie
knife ?"
"It must have been taken from my pocket
while I was insensible, for I acknowledge the
'knife is mine, and that I had been accustom
ed to carry it about me for some months
past."
"Have you any idea who could have com
mitted the deed ?" I enquired after a pause.
" None in the world," he replied ; it must
have been some one from- the outside, for
there were none but women in the house."
After a little further conversation on the
matter I took my departure, without giving
him any decided opinion as to my belief in
his innocence. When I reached my office, I
seated myself in an easy chair, and pondered
over the matter long and seriously. I was
well aware that Johnston's statement was an
impossible one, and would of course have no
weight in a court of justice ; hut there was
something in his manner of telling to me—
something in his frank open countenance,
which impressed me strongly in his favor,
and after mature consideration I came to the
conclusion that the statement might be true.
But it is one thing to believe in a person's
innocence, and another to prove it. The next
question to be decided, was, if Johnston was
innocent, who was the murderer ? Here I
must confess T was totally at fault, I bad not
the slightest clue to guide me. It appeared
certain to me that none of the inhabitants of
the house could have done it, fin• as I before
said, they consisted only of Miss M'Leod,
l\liss Leroy, an old maid who acted as kind
of governess to Margaret, and the two ser
vant girls. I made up my mind that it must
have been some one froth without, and the
door having been left open, favored the sup
position. I began to invent a thousand dif
ferent theories as to how the murder was
effected, until my brain grew dizzy. The
thought then entered my head to go and
search the house where the deed had been
committed, to see if I could discover any
clue there. I immediately acted upon it, and
in a few minutes found myself before the
door of the late Mr. M'Leod's residence.
It was a large, gloomy looking house, bear
ing anything but an inviting aspect, and just
such a place as one would imagine to be the
theatre of some dark deed. I knocked at the
door, and requested to see Miss M'Leod.
was immediately shown into a parlor, and in
a few minutes she entered the room.
I then informed her as to the result of my
interview with llarvey Johnston. I also told
her that I believed in his innocence, but did
not seek to disguise from her the fact that
there was much to be done before we should
be able to convince a jury such to be the case.
I then requested permission to search the
house. It was immediately granted.
My search did not amount to much. I no
ticed, however, one thing—the drawing room
door was so situated that when any one stood
on the threshold of it he could not see a por
tion of the room on account of the projecting
fire-place. I was further satisfied that a per
son might easily have entered from without,
ascended the stairs, stupefied ono or both of
the inmates of the drawing-room with chloro
form, and then committed the deed. I was
about leaving the. house, when the thought
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lIUNTINGDON, PAR, JANUARY 6, 1858.
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-PERSEVERE.-
struck me I had not examined Mr. M'Lcod's
bed-room. I hastened to repair my forgetful
ness. I found it to be an ordinary sized
chamber, with nothing special in it except
an 0h.7..' bureau, which immediately struck my
attention from the fact of my father having
posseed one exactly like it. I opened the
top of it, and found that it contained two se
cret recesses like ours at home. I opened
these recesses,—and discovered one to be
empty, the other, contained a single paper
which proved to be an old letter, yellow with
age. I felt justified in opening and reading
it. It ran as follows:
" ALBANy, N. Y., May 19, 182 G.
You have basely deserted me, and deceived
me,—all my burning love is now turned to
bitter hatred; but do not imagine that you
shall escape with impunity. By the living
God .1= 'swear to be revenged ! I can wait
years, ay, years, to accomplish my purpose.
Think on it and tremble !
On the outside it bore the inscription, "Mr.
M'Leod, 52 Front street, New York." I read
the letter over several times; it was to say
the least of it, a curious document, and I de
cided to keep it in my possession, not expec
ting that it would lead to any discovery—it
appeared to be written too long ago for that
and the chances were that Helen Morris was
long ago summoned to her long, last home.
I returned home, weary and unsatisfied.—
For the next three weeks I made every possi
ble exertion to clear up the mystery without
the slightest success. The day of trial ap
proached, and I had not discovered the slight
est evidence to corroborate the prisoner's
statement. Scarcely a day passed but Miss
M'Leod either called herself, or sent to know
what progress I was making. I could give
her hut very slight hope of being able to save
Harvey.
On. the evening before the day fixed for
the trial, I seated myself in my office, utterly
dispirited and worn. out. I had no hope of
being able to convince a jury of Johnston's
innocence. I was well aware that his state
ment -would be laughed at, and the only wit
ness I could bring forward, would be as to
character. I was miserable at the idea of
bringing such a lame defence into court—and
my first case, too.
I thought I would smoke a cigar, and try
if that would have any effect in soothing my
irritated nerves. I tore a piece from an old
New York Herald, in order to light it, when
by some strange circumstance, what, it is
difficult to explain, the following advertise
ment among the "personals" caught my
eye:
t.ll 1.1,13 y TS pnich. - Fied the chloro i
form of Messrs. B. &- C., apothecaries, 201
Broadway, will call upon the latter she will
have the purse restored which she left on the
counter."
I snatched the other portion of the paper
for the purpose of discovering the date, I
found it to bare been issued the very clay after
the murder.
To throw away my cigar, put on my hat,
and rush from the house was the work of a
moment. I had not far to go, and soon found
myself in Messrs. It. C's store.
"A lady bought Chloroform of you about
two months ago?" said 1, to a gentlemanly
looking clerk, behind the counter.
" Yes, sir."
" She left a purse on the counter ?"
cores, sir."
" Will you be good enough to inform me if
she has ever reclaimed that purse ?"
" She has not, although we advertised it
several days."
" Who served her with the chloroform ?"
"I did."
"Did you notice her appearance?"
"She was quite elderly. I was surprised
at her buying so much at a time ; but she
stated she wanted it for her husband, who is
a physician, and so I let her have it."
- Would you know her if you were to see
her again ?"
"1 believe I should. I noticed that she
wore a blue shawl with a red fringe—it struck
me particularly, because it had such an un
common appearance."
I could obtain no further information from
the clerk, and returned to my office with even
my last hope swept away.
The next day I was in court early. I de
termined to do all I could for my client; but
without the faintest hope of success. The
case was soon called on, and the prosecuting
attorney commenced his address—he stated
to the court what he intended to prove, and
as lie recounted the fearful array of evidence
against the prisoner, I could not help turning
my eyes to the latter, and observed he stood
perfectly aghast at the strong card made
against him. Not a single event that had
transpired during his intercourse - with the
INl'Leod family but was turned into the strong
est evidence against him.
Miss M'Leod was the first witness called.—
Her testimoney made fearfully against the
prisoner. She acknowledged there had been
a violent quarrel between Harvey Johnston
and her father some time previous, and that
the former had been very much irritated by
some epithets bestowed on him by Mr. 1112-
Leod, and had even vaguely threatened,ven
,reance:
By the cross-examination of ..this witness,
I elicited the fact that the prisoner's disposi
tion was good, kind and amiable; her anxiety
to say as much as possible fur her lover did
him more harm than good. And when she
descended from the stand, many reproachful
glances were cast after her.
The two servants followed and gave much
the same evidence as Miss M'Leod. I decli
ned to cross-examine them. Witnesses were
then called to fix the ownership of the knife
on. the prisoner at the bar. "elicited nothing
on cross-examination ;. and it was the same
with the policeman who first discovered the
murder.
The governess, Julia Leroy, was next call
ed on the stand. For a moment or two she
did not reply to her name, it had to he re
peated two or three times. At length she
made her appearance, and ascended to the
witue.ss box. The moment 1 cast my eyes on
her I saw something which made my ears
lIE:LEN Afortnis."
Editor and Proprietor.
tingle, and sent the blood coursing like fire
through my veins ; but I had sufficient com
mand over myself to say nothing.
" Miss Leroy," said the prosecuting attor
ney, " you, I believe, were a friend of the de
ceased, and lived in the same house with
him?"
"Yes, sir."
" You opened the door for the prisoner on
the night of the murder !" " I did."
" Relate what passed." _
" I showed Mr. Johnston into the front
drawing room where Mr. M'Leod was sitting,
and I returned to the back drawing-room,
where I was at work, sewing, when the pris
oner rang the bell. The two drawing-rooms
are only separated by folding doors, so I
could hear nearly all that passed. Mr. M'-
Leod and the prisoner soon got to high words
—and I heard the former call the latter a
' villain' and a ' scoundrel.' Mr. Johnston
retaliated, and swore he would be revenged
on him at some future day. And then their
voices lowered, and I could not make out
what they were talking about. I went to
bed at ten o'clock, leaving them still in the
room together, -and was I.oused by half past
eleven by the intelligence that. Mr. 11I'Leod
had been murdered. This is all I know
about the matter."
"As I suppose the counsel for the prisoner
will not cross-examine this witness," said
the district attorney, seating himself, " this,
your honor, closes the case for the prosecu
tion."
"Stay," said I, rising, ."I wish to ask the
witness a few questions if she has no objec
tions."
The witness, who had already descended
from the box, took her place again on the
stand.
"Madam," said I, "you- are unmarried, I
believe ?"
"I am."
•
"What is your name ?"
"Julia Leroy."
"Would you have any objection to - write it
down for me on this piece of paper ?"
"None at all," she replied, doing as I had
requested, and handing back the paper to
me. I glanced at it and placed it before me.
"Miss Leroy," I exclaimed, slowly, "I am
about to ask you rather an ungallant ques
tion, but you must forgive it. Will you be
good enough to tell the Court your age ?"
She hesitated a moment, and then replied:
"Certainly, I am forty-five next birth-day."
"Thank you," I returned. "Will you be
good enough to answer the next question as
explicitly—have you ever had any use for
,47
chloroform ?"
She turned - fearfully pale, and for a mo
ment or two L-.....ad0 last she said:
''l a p peal to the Court if I am to answer
such stupid questions?"
"It appears to me," said the worthy judge,
"that the cross-examination is entirely ex
traneous to the matter in question, .but of
course, if the counsel insists, the witness
must answer the questions he propounds."
".1 reiterate my question," I replied, quiet
ly, "do you ever use chloroform ?"
"I do use it occasionally for the tooth
ache," was the sullen rejoinder.
"Now, Madam, listen to me and answer
the question distinctly. Did you, or did :you
not purchase four ounces of chloroform on
the day of the murder, at Messrs. R. S: C.'s
Drug store, in Broadway'?"
The witness reeled in the box, and had to
support herself by catching hold of the. sides
of it. She turned as pale as death, and could
not speak for more than a minute. I kept
my eyes fixed on her as if I would read her
very soul. She partially recovered herself,
and replied in a firm voice:
"Well, i did buy four ounces of chloroform
on the day mentioned—and what then?"
"I simply wanted to know, that is all."
"Very well, I have answered your ques
tion. Have you anythinc , more to ask inc ?"
"Yes—were you ever-known by any other
name than Julia Leroy ?"
The woman glared at me and made no re
ply.
"I insist on an answer," I continued.
"No," she •replied, boldly summoning up
all her courage.
"Now, madam, answer me," I replied, in
a stern voice, "did you not live in Albany in
1826—and was not your name then Helen
Morris? It is no use denying the fact, for I
know all," I added:
She gave one shriek, and exclaimed in a
heart-rending voice:
" Yes—l acknowledge it—l committed the
deed—l am guilty! I am guilty!" And then
she fainted away.
An indescribable scene of confusion took
place in Court. Harvey Johnston was re
manded, and the witness Julia Leroy, was
taken into custody.
The fact is, the moment she had entered
the box I knew I stood in presence of Mr.
M'Leod's murderer, for she wore a blue
shawl with a red fringe. The two facts of
the case passed through my_ mind like light
ning, and I immediately divined that this Ju
lia Leroy was no other than Helen Morris,
and after she had written her name, I was
certain that such was the case. Why such
an idea should have entered my head, I
know not, it appears to be inspiration.
That same night Julia Leroy made a con
fession. It appeared when she was a girl,
Mr. M'Leod had become acquainted with
her, and by his wily arts effected her ruin.—
She lived with him some time, and then he
deserted her, and it was then she wrote the
letter I had found in his bed-room. From
that time she lived only to accomplish her
purpose, and after a lapse of some years, ob
tained an introduction into his family. She
waited for twenty years, until a favorable op
portunity occurred to put her scheme into ex
ecution. At length the time seemed come.
She obtained a supply of chloroform, and at
first rendered Harvey Johnston insensible
by its influence, and before Mr. I.NPLeod had
time to give the alarm, she took his life in
the manner before referred to, and by means
of a bowie-knife which had fallen from John
ston's pocket, as he fell. She used the latter
weapon in preference to the one with which
she had provided herself as being likely to
fix suspicion on the young man.
I In one month she was found guilty, and
only saved herself from an ignominious death
by taking poison.
About three months after the events de
scribed, Harvey Johnston and Margaret 1W-
Leod were married, and I have reason. to
know that they have lived happily ever
since: As for myself, this case was a step- -
ping stone to renown, and amid all the favors
of fortune with which I am now surrounded,,
I always regard the hand of Providence in
the success I experienced- with -MY ; Film ,
BRIEF. •
( 4nttrefsfing
, , .
,4E5-A Bill (Wm.) that promiSes to pay-alp&
does not, is a liar-Bill-ty.
KrPants procured on tick, may be con
sidered " breeches of trust."
NO. 29.
za-Wanted—by an ancient lady, "a, local
habitation and a name."
gCensure is a tax that man pays to the
public for being eminent.
ge-Art possesses a language which speaks
to all eyes, and is understood by all nations.
The loan at a loan office is better left
alone.
lam, ,ahe hunchback does not see the hump
on his shoulder.
It is the spirit of the age that directs
and colors all the events of the world.
1 If a Cigar makes a man ill, will a
cheroot make a Man-illa ?
'-i‘lan—a bubble on the ocean's rolling
wave.
Life—a gleam of light extinguished by tho
grave.
Fame—a meteor dazzling with its distant
glare.
Wealth—a source of trouble and consum
ing care.
Pleasure—a gleam of sunshine passing
soon away.
Love—a morning dream whose memory
gilds the day.
Faith—an anchor dropped beyond the vale
of death.
Hope—along star beaming o'er the bar
ren heath:
Charity—a stream meandering from the
fount of love.
Bible—a guide to realms of endless joy
above.
Religion—a key which opens wide the
gates of
. Heaven.
Death—a knife by which the ties of earth
are riven.
Earth—a desert through which pilgrims
wend their way.
Grave—a place of rest when ends life's
weary day.
Resurrection—a sudden waking from a
quiet dream.
Ileaven—a land of joy, of light, and love
supreme:
.The less weight a race horse carries,
the quicker he runs and the same holds good
with the human tongue.
Many women in rich ornaments look
inviting, whose beauty when they undress,
flies away with their apparel.
gCD'-Tom says when they won't trust a fel
low for his drink long enough to swallow it,
he thinks credit a leetle too short.
[a - People turn up their noses at this world,
as if they were in the habit of keeping com
pany with the better one.
ge, , ,Tir-„A cultivated mind and good heart will
give an intellectual and beautiful expression
to Ca: faco.
nothing shameful either in the pres
ence of other's or alone—respect yourself,
and others will respect you.
1 1L Distinguished writer says that noth
ing is best achieved by indirection. The
workings of a cork screw would seem to be a
refutation of that plausible theory.
Le _Vity ought all the States in the Union
to be worth one hundred cents on the dollar?
Answer—becm4e the sisters of a large family
are always at pa (r) for cash.
D'crA-; - =A 'Writer in Blackwood ;lip that
every man who is not a monster mathemati
cian or a mad philosopher, is the slave of
some woman or other.
ta-A. militia officer in Texas boasts, thro'
the papers, that his men "would rally at the
tap of the drum." Perhaps they would rally
still more promptly at the tapping of a keg.
English writer says, in his advice
to young married women, that their mother
Eve married a gardener. It might be added
that the gardener, in consequence of his
match, lost his situation.
XeA rather thick-headed witness in the
police court at St. Louis was asked the ques
tion whether the party accused 'stood on the
defensive.' He innocently replied, 'he stood
on a bench.'
'Bachelors are not entirely lost to the
refinement of sentiment, for the following
toast was eiren by one of them at a celebra
tion—
"The Ladies—sweet berries in the garden
of life."
klAn Episcopal clergyman in our vicin
ity, who rather loyes a joke, was engaged to
read the service for a brother minister, and
was hurrying to church a little belated, on
Sunday morning. A friend, struck by his
uncommon speed, inquired—" Sir, why so
fast ?" "In order," said he, " that he who
runs may read."
-m." Billy, do you remember the golden
rule ?"
" Yes raartn."
"'Then what makes you quarrel so kith
your brother ?" If you do not want me
to whip you, you should not fight your broth
er."
" Reekin' ye'd better mind the golden rule
yer self ; if you don't want me to lick you,
you shouldn't lick me !"
EA clergyman in Connecticut was read
ing to his congregation the beautiful and po
etic psalm of David where he says
"Mercy and Truth are met together; Right
eousness and Peace have kissed each other."
At this point a little girl in the assembly
manifested .a great interest, and whispered
to her mother—
"That's as true as I live. I saw Righteous
Hill kiss Peace Peabody behind the smoke
house, but how did the minister latoW it ?"
'Judge Claggett, of the first. judicial
district in lowa, made a rule, that lawyers
who had cases in court, should not leave with
out notice. This did not please them; and
to put his honor out of countenance they
would get up, one after another, and say with
long faces and juvenile accent, " Please, thir,
may Igo out?" His honor bore this as long
as ho could, when ho had them all put in
jail. The Burlington Hawkeye says that "no
public edifice, not excepting the penitentiary,
ever contained so much latent rascality as
the Madison jail when filled with the lawyers
of the district."