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l'YE BEEN THINKING.
>7?
I've been thinking, I’ve been thinking
What a glorious world were this, J
Did folks mind their business more
And mind their neighbor's less;
Fcr instance you and I, my friend,
Are sadly prone to talk
Of matters that concern us not,
And others’ follies mock.
I’ve been thinking, if we begin
To mend our own affairs,
Tl at possibly our neighbors might
t. Contrive to manage theirs.
We’ve faults enough at home to mend—
It may be so of others;
It would seem strange if it were not,
Since all mankind are brothers.
Oh, would that we had charity ]
For every man and woman !
Forgiveness is the mark of those
Who know ‘to err is human
lienlet us banish jealousy—
Let’s lift our fallen brother;
And, as we journey down life’s road,
Do good to one another.
THE DAY AFTER MY DEATH.
CROSSING THE RIVERSTYX.
Charon and IiisFerry-Roat.
Startling; Disclosures in tlic
Infernal ltegious.
CHAPTER L
On a raw morning, towards the close of last
November, I formed one of a very uncomfort
able party of spirits, who stood shivering on the
banks of the Styx, awaiting the arrival of Charon
with his ferry-boat The cold natural to the
season of the year was aggravated by a keen and
bitter wind, which not unfrequently visits the
reach of the river where we were stationed; and
as spirits have no considerable internal sources
of heat to tall back upon, our discomfort was
exetssive. Some attempted to kindle an artifi
cial warmth by flitting rapidly to and fro along
the bank, while others stamped their shadowy
feet upon the iron soil; or, after the manner ot
mortal cabmen, slapped their impalpable finger
tips against their intangible shoulders; but with
out any marked success. There was nothing
for it but to wait with as much patience as might
be for the arrival of the old ferry-man, and to
occupy the intervening time in staring at each
other with those looks of gloomy distrust which
are so well-known a characteristic of American
shades; and by means of which, each of us dis
tinctly though tacitly asked our neighbor what
he meant by dying on the same day as ourselves.
Uy companions differed much from each other
in external appearance, hut the countenance of
most cf them agreed in exhibiting profound dis
satisfaction with the position in which we found
ourselves. Spirits have, by a fortunate provis
ion of Nature, the peculiar faculty of detecting
at a glance to what profession or calling their
fellow-shades have belonged during their mor
tal existence. The value of this faculty in a so
ciety where there are no longer any external pe
culiarities of dress or appearanoe to distinguish
one spirit from another, cannot be over-estimat
ed, and I was much interested in examining my
neighbors with the assistance of this newly ac
quired power. At a little distance from me I
observed a portly, respectable-looking shade,
who was pr.cing restlessly up and down the bank
and narrowly scrutinizing the features of each
spirit who passed him with the.kind of Uneasy
curiosity of a man yho iseexpectiite to
acquaintance, but it not sure that) the meeting
will be a pleasant one. On a nearer approach I
discovered that it was the spirit of a fashionable
New York physician. Somewhat higher on the
bank I observed an artist and a poet seated side
by side, with their faces buried in their hands,
in the deepest dejection. At intervals one of
them would claim, in the most piteous tones the
the compassion of his companion, to which the
latter would reply by a lamentable ejaculation
over his own misfortunes, and a passionate ap
peal to the sympatbyjof the other. Their voices
were shrill and penetrating—that of the poet
particularly so—and thus I was very soon made
acquainted with the causes of their regret Each
of them was lamenting his early decease—the
poet exclaiming that he had died before his
merits had been recognized, the artist that he
had died before his had been sufficiently appre
ciated. The latter was, if possible, louder and
more importunate in his complaints than his
companion. Both of them were very old.
It was a pleasure to pus. from these to a more
resigned type of spirit, of which there were a
few specimens present. The pale, thin shade of
the widow, who sat apart from the others with a
little child shade in her arms, was a more agree
able cl ject of contemplation. Htrface showed
the traces of much past suffering, but none of
the bitterness of present regret. She icokea
with mild pity .and some surprise upon the
gloomy countenances around her, but when she
turned her eyes from them to the opposite shore
her features wore an expression of resignation,
and sometimes even of hope. Death had had no
terrors for her. A husband dearly loved by her,
had died but two years previously, and the lit
tle savings he had left, a ‘friend in the city’had
invested for her in a mine. So when herchild
died she had no longer any tie either of interest
or affection to bind her to the earth, and she
was only too glad to accompany it to the other
world.
There was besides her two other shades who
uccepted the situation with equanimity—one of
them, indeed, with absolute* satisfaction. These
were respectively a metaphysical philosopher,
and an English barrister of seven years’ stand
ing. The latter, if not exactly pleased with his
new position, at least contemplated it with per
fect nonchalance. In the transfer of the sphere
of his professional life from the material to the
spiritual world, he detected no.important change
in his prospects; and, indeed, he was inclined
to enter upon his new career in the shades with
the revived hopefulne.-s of a man who cn earth
had never had even the shadow of a cLance.
The metaphysical philosopher was, of ail the
spirits the least disposed to cast regretful looks
at the world which he had left. That not this,
was to him the world of shadows; before and not
behind him lay the region of reality, and of
‘things in themselves. *
Perched high up on the bank above the other
spirits, on a sharp point ot rock, with the light
mists of ti at region curling round his head and
frequently obscuiing it from oar view, he sat im
movable, his eyes fixed steadfastly on the dim
outlines of the opposite bank. Attracted by the
sight I ascended with some difficulty to the ele
vation at which he was sitting, and drew near to
him. He paid no attention to me, but contin
ued to maintain the same attitude of face and
posture. At intervals he muttered to himself
6ome indistinct sentences, of which I only
caught the words ‘mystery of being,’ problem of
existence,’ ‘long-wished lor solution,’ and a few
similar expressions. As he showed no dispo
sition to address me and as I was utterly unable
to discern anything in the direction to which he
was so intently gazing, I shortly afterwards de
scended the slope and rejoined my companions.
One of them, an eminent member of Congress
of advanced liberal views, was holding a very
bitter argument with a country gentleman and
a retired grocer and churchwarden, on the sub
ject cf decent burials. The three disputants
were surounded by a small group of spirits,
who listened with the languid interest which a
subject so remotely affecting their future pros
pects was calculated to inspire.
All were glad when the distant plash of oars
were heard, and a boat propelled slowly toward
ub by a figure seated in the bow, became dis
tinctly visible through the mist The young
barrister smiled faintly on the boat approaching,
and the form cf its occupant becoming more
charly discernible, and muttered to himself‘Not
much catch at the beginning there.’ The phil
osopher, who had rapidly descended the bank
at the firstsign of the boat's arrival, was the first
to embark. He hurried forward and seated him
self in the bow, and immediately falling into the
same attitude as he had maintained on shore,
remained with his eyes fixed on the opposite
bank throughout the whole transit He was fol
lowed by a spirit,whom I have not yet described
but to whom we all instinctively gave place,
showing him, by a general deferential glance in
his direction, that we expected him to precede
us. He was undoubtedly the most respectable
shade of the whoie body— if I may apply so in
appropriate an expression to a group of spirits.
He was a man widely known and respected for
his efforts in the cause of philanthropy. He was
the chairman of at least three charitable socie
ties, and a prominent member of several more.
His piety was sincere and unaffected, and be
had been very fortunate in his pecuniary spec
ulations (I transcribe these remarks from an
obituarv notice, published a week after his death
—on his tombstone). The country gentleman
followed, politely banding in the widow. Next
in ordei came the artist, the poet and the M. C-
The physician, the retired grocer and I, took
our places next, and the barrister having pre
vailed upon Charon to relinquish the sculls to
him, took us across with a style and finish ol
oarsmanship which those waters had probably
never before witnessed. The old ferryman him
self took the rudder-lines, and I had tLnsan op
portunity of studying his appearance and ol
comparing it with the description given of him
by Virgil. It is not necessary for me to add
anything tc that description, which allowing for
difference of age, is in its main features correct.
The passage of the Styx occupied about half
an hour, but it was perhaps nearer three-quar
ters before the boat was made fast to the land
ing-place and we had all disembarked. The de
lay was chiefly occasioned by Cerberus, whe
swam out to meet us, and in watching whose
performance in the water we spent nearly ten
minutes. The character of this animal, like
that ot Richard 111, Tiberius and others, has
been very unwarrantably maligned; or at any
rate his fierceness has been much exaggerated.
Virgil, Horace, and others, probably refer in
their descriptions to his demeanor when engag
ed in his discharge of bis janitorial functions.
Off duty is a most amiable and amusing beast,
and entertained us vastly by the clever manner
which he swam after and simultaneously
picked up three sticks which we threw into the
water for him, about a foot apart from each oth
er. Charon, however, soon grew impatient at
the delay; and cutting short an animated dispute
between the barrister and the M. C. as to the
amount of tax which a Georgia legislature would
impose upon such a dog; the old ferryman
brought the boat alongside the landing-pkcc
and made it fast.
There are, as my readers are probably aware,
no customs payable in the infernal regions, and
hence there was no custom-house attached to
the landing-place at which we disembarked.
Newly arrived spirits have, however, to undergo
a personal examination of a much more formi
dable nature before the High Court of Justice.
They are asked if they carry anything in their
consciencies which it is their duty ‘to declare ’
Concealment is frequently attempted, but is nev
and at a sign from Minos drew aside the black
curtain which hung behind the judges. Imme
diately a stream of light poured in from a win
dow above the bench, upon the face of the ac
cused spirit; and as the light smote his features,
a nameless change passed over them, and we
saw that he was a murderer.
He saw how we fell back from him, and he re
doubled his protestations of innocence. He ap
pealed to his blameless life, to the cuiversal re
spect of his fellow-men, to his noble reputation
for charitable works.
But even as he spoke, there rose up beside
him at the bar, unseen of him, but seen and
shuddered at by all else, the wan shade of what
had been in life a frail and delicate woman;and
as he finished, she slowly stretched out her fin
ger and touched him. He turned and looked
on her, and in a moment the secret of thirty
years burst in one hideous cry from the lying
lips, and he iell prostrate at her feet.
But for one moment. Then he sprang up,his
face now lurid with the InDer fires that had
caught his sonl, and shrieked a woman's name
—but not hers who stood above him with the
accusing finger still pointing at her murderer.
‘Catherine! Catherine! she is here! the thin,
pale woman whom vpu hated and taught me to
hate. Temptress! Devil! where are you ? It was
you—you who did it! You who first woke the
fearful wish in my soul and thrust the poison
into my hand! You did it—you! and the light
ning passed you by to strike your dupe. Mur
deress! where are you ? Murderess! come to
judgment!'
But now, at a sign from Radamanthus, the
■hade of the woman stooped over her murdered
husband, and eutwifeed him in her arms and
fixed her eyes upon hisjaudthe passionate cries
died a* ay into broken murmurs and then ceas
ed utterly, and the changeful countenance of
remorse froze into a fixed and steadfast horror.
And so they two, murderer and victim, locked
in each others armi, face close to face, and their
eyes fastened on Each other's, passed slowly from
our view, united thus forever.
CHAPTER II.
It may easily be oonceived that we were glad
to escape from the emotions aroused by this
painful scene, and we welcomed, as an agreea
ble relief, the severe cross-examination to which
the country gentleman was subjected by Minos
with reference to certain poaching convictions,
in which he had been concerned when alive.
He was sharply questioned as to his capacities
for a judicial poet, and although the curtain be
hind the bench had been let fall again and we
had no longer the benefit of the mysterious
light which had exposed the guilt of the mur
derer. we had little difficulty in seeing that the
squire was quite ignorant of law.
At intervals, when the questions were espec
ially searching, he peered anxiously into the
crowd of spectator spirits, in the vain hope of
discovering the shade of his late associate in a
country office, who had died some months pre
viously. After about ten minute's examination
he was dismissed, with a few stinging remarks
from Minos upon th^'English magisterial sys
tem,
Tae successful grocer, churchwarden, and
poor-law guardian was the next to present him
self, and he had a very uncomfortable time of
it indeed. I was amazed at the acquaintance
exhibited by the judges, not only with all the
intricacies of work-house management, but with
the low artificies of trade adulteration and de
ceit upon the weights. Before the grocer had
left the dock we alliof us knew accurately the
proportion of sanu It**-his sugar, and oi tallow
in his butter, and of r-umeless abominations in
his tea. We could have told how many drachms
were deficient on his ounce, and by how many
ounces hie pound fell short of the standard
weight,and could form 6ome approximate esti
mate of the amount of his daily depredations
So that when Bhadamanthas, in a voice of righ
teous indignation, delivered the judgment of
the court, we were betrayed into applause,which
was immediately erttoressed.
JSpint/.sftidjp.hcjgyip^JL»a»s-eawth.- y-iU <re
* nnivarciollnr li/Minror
law consisted of, and where it was to be found?
The reply was, that the English law was ot
three kinds—Statute Law, Case Lav/, and Com
mon Law. The first was composed of about
14,000 Acts of the Legislature, and was to be
found in 11?. octavo or 48 quarto volumes of the
Realm. The second consisted of about 00,000
recorded Decisions, and was to be found in
above 1,200 volumes of Reports. The third con
sisted ot an indefinite number of Legal Princi
ples, and was to be found in the breasts of the
judges. Besides these, there was a vast and
undefined system known as Equity, and a body
of Ecclesiastical Jurisprudence, founded upon
the Roman civil and canon law, with which it
was unnecessary to trouble the Court, except to
assure them that these portions of the law were
similarly easy of access and application. These
answers seemed to perplex the Court very much,
and Minos suggested that, though the Case Law
was voluminous and unorganized, yet it was
probably consistent with itself, and capable of
being deducted to a simple and harmonious
system. The barrister replied that he con’d
not undertake to say this, and that it was the
extremely discordant and contradictoiy nature
of record decisions which was the great ob
stacle to digesting the law. Minos then good-
naturedly hinted that no doubt the Statute Law
adjusted the differences and cleared up the ob-
the row of green volumes lettered, “Single Fail
ures— France.’ ‘There series appears to be a
much shorter one than ouis.’
‘True, replied Minos, ‘their green series is
considerably smaller. Few guilty men escape
from a French judge. But look at their‘Double
Failures ! they are twice as numerous as yours.
An innocent man before a French court has of
ten a poor ahance for his life.’
And, in truth, the French red series filled
nearly four shelves, and W9 were not a littla
consoled at the sight.
‘Then, again,' continued the barrister, em
boldened, ‘surely tlie removal of some of the
barbaricus inequalities of our law of evidence
has tended to diminish the bulk of our red se
ries, as the abolition of the ridiculous subile-
ties of pleading must have tendeded to reduce
the dimensions of the green.
‘In tLs former case, yes,’ replied Minos, point
ing to our red series for the last thirty years the
volumes of which showed a marked reduction
in bulk. In the latter case, the progress has
not been so marked: criminals who can no long
er crawl out through the flaws of an indictment
have now found another loophole of escape.’
•What is that ?’ we inquired somewhat anx
iously.
Minos walked to the window of the apartment
and beckoned us to follow him. We did so and
scarifies of Case Law. The barrister replied j looked out into an open courtyard, in which
that, unfortunately, the language and method j were a score or so of spirits, apparently taking
of the Statute Law was not calculated either to ; exercise under the surveillance oi two or three
adjust diffvretces, or to clear up obscurities; ; of the officials whom we had seen that morning
and, as» specimen of its phraseology, he begged ! in the Court 8
‘Bray, who are these?’ asked the barrister.
•These,’ said Minos, are all spirits whose names
are to be found in that book,’ pointing to the
latest volume ot the English green series. They
are all criminals, who have been unjustly ac
quitted on the same ground.’
IVe were about to enquire what the ground
was, when one of the spirits, looking up to the
window, recognized the physician, to whom he
bowed with an air of profound resooct and grat
itude. *
BTt successful,^® ;he •XSruur® oF'the YTourt cauA most respectable i«Kjv, universally honored by
overhaul a conscience as rapidly as a French your neighbors, cDuichwarden of your pari«h.
douanier will rummage your portmanteau. The a guardian of the poor of your country. Here
High Court of Justice continues, by a very lau
dable arrangement, always in session, even du
ring the Long Vacation; its officers are in con
stant attendance at the jetty,and a party of them
having instaLtly hut courteously taken posses
sion of our persons, we were conducted to an
anti-chamber of the court-house, there to await
our being summoned before the judges.
As we felt, or at any rate affected to feel, no
anxiety about the result of our examination, we
passed our time in looking about us and obser
ving the admirable arrangements of the build
ing. The respective approaches for witnesses,
for the bar and for the general shade-public,
were completely separated from each other.
Witnesses had ample accommodation, both in
the court itself and in the anti-rooms. They
were not subjected by any means to as much
pain and discomfort as they would have deser
ved, had they been criminals of the blackest
dye. The bar—even including those counsel
who were engaged in the actual business going
on—were enabled to get to their places without
a series of personal encounters with the public.
As soon as we entered the court our admiration
was further excited by the discovery that it was
ventilated. The whole building was, we were
told, planned and completed in less than two
years.
We had scarcely time to complete our obser
vations before an usher made his appoarence
and directed us to follow him into the court,
and in a few moments we stood in the presence
of Minos C. J., and Deacus and Rhadamanthus,
J. J. The first few cases were disposed of speed
ily enough. The ariist and the poet were ques
tioned on and rebuked lor a few trilling thefts
which they had committed, the former upon
the persons of antique or medieval victims, and
the latter upon those of contemporary writeis.
Tne philosopher was dismissed with a few
phiases of commendation upon his blameless
life, and the widow with expressions of sympa
thy for her misfortunes. I myself was gently ,
reproved lor a few failings, and commended for
a few virtues, neither of which it is necessary
lor me here to particularize, and was permitted
to pass on. The eminently respectable spirit
to whom we had all instinctively given place on
embarkation, came next, and we all supposed
that he would be allowed to pass without ques
tion; but to our extreme surprise, on his taking
his place at the bar, a whisper passed between
the judges—Deacus, who had been hitherto con
ducting the examinations, desisted, and Rha
damanthus, rising to his feet, uttered, in a ter
rible voice, the word—‘Confess!’ All eyes were
turned upon the spirit,and we saw to our amaze
ment that his pompous composure had deserted
him, and given place to a deadly terror. Spir
its do not tremble as rudely and visibly as mor
tal men; but nevertheless, under the influence
of his overmastering fear the subtle particles of
his shadowy frame quivered with an incessant
emotion, like the sultry atmosphere in a sum
mer’s noon.
He burst into a torrent of angry and terri
fied protestations, and the young barrister in
stantly rose to his feet.
‘My Lords!’he exclaimed, obviously excited
‘if it he the custom of this court to assign coun
sel to prisoneis in such cases, I beg to remind
vour lordships that I am the junior barrister
present.’
‘Silenoe, young man,’ replied Minos, sternly.
‘A prisoner needs no counsel here. He is judg
ed by the Light and the Light wrongs no man.’
As he spoke an officer of the couit advanced,
we see you as the cruel and heartless knave you
really are—not as the steward of the church but
as the plunderer of the flock; not the guardian,
but the oppressor of the poor—a wretch who,
for paltry gains, made the bitter life-struggle
of the needy more bitter to them yet. Go,’ con
tinued RhadamaDthus, pointing to one of the
doors, ‘go, and by that door. In the anti-room
adjoining you will find the shades of those
whom yon have wronged—of the starving seem-
stress—of the struggling day-laborer—of the
shoeli ss .street-beggar, whose poor half-pence,
precious to them as drops of life-blood,you dai
ly filched. Go, they await you there.’
The grocer and poor law-guardian left the
court much crest-fallen, and in considerable
anxiety as to his future.
The M. C. was examined with some severity
as to certain proceedings which had taken place
at his last election, and was then allowed to
pass on
The fashionable physician next presented him-
■elf, but was remanded till the following day,
in order that the attendance of witnesses might
be procured, of whom a large number, it was
said, would have to be examined.
The English barrister was the last, and his ex
amination afforded the audience the greatest
entertainment of all. Thera were no serious
delinquencies in his case to be inquired into;
and to the charge of idleness which Decus made
against him. he was able tc make a tolerably
satisfactory defence. The Court than proceeded,
from motives of curiosity, to ply him with a st-
stanco, except as to the name of the countries
to which they referred. Those relating to Eng
land occupied two shelves, about six feet in
length. I confess I was very much startled;
and I suppose the faces of all of us showed some
consternation, for Minos immediately remarked
upon it:
‘l'ou are surprised, gentlemen,’ he said in
gentle tones, but with a faint touch of irony' in
the inflection of his voice. ‘We are not un
accustomed to witness the display of such emo
tions on the part of our visitors from the upp.r
world. They have formed as a rule, too high
an estimate of the success with which human
ries of questions as to the present condition ot
the English law. First, they pressed him very
closely as to the mode in which he had qualified
himself for his profession, and were much puz
zled at the answers they received. They could
not be brought to understand the process of
preparing barristers for their duties by feeding
them on roast mutton and sherry; and fora
long time they persisted in regarding his
account of the process as merely an allegorical
description of the mental training to which stu
dents were subjected—the roast mutton being
typical cf the substantial pabulum of legal in
instruction with which they were filled; and the
sherry, emblematic of that spirit and fire of elo
quence in which they were at the same time no
doubt assiduously trained. The barrister, in
reply, admitted that the sherry was strongly
emblematic of spirit and fire, but he still insis
ted, to the • xtreme bewilderment of the Court,
on the strictly literal nature of his description
of the singular process by which the English
lawyer is created. Minos tben transferred his
inquiries from the subject of legal education to
that of the law itself, and asked, with much in
terest. what was the character cf the English
Code? The barrister replied that we possesed
no Code. What, then, was the character of our
Digest? We had no Digest. The Court, in the
utmost astonishment, then inquired what oar
to quote for their lordship’s edification the title
of the 57 Goo., c. 101. It was in these words:—
‘An Act to continue an Act intiteled An Act
further to extend aDd render more effectual cer
tain provisions of an Act passed in the twelfth
year of His Majesty George I., intituled An Act
to prevent frivolous and vexatious arrests, and
of an Act parsed in the fifth year ol the reign of
His Majesty George II., to explain, amend, and
render more effectual the said former Act, and
of two Acts passed in the nineteenth and forty-
third year® of His present Majesty, extending
the said former Acts.’
At this point the Court rose for luncheon,
Minos however, thorgh bewildered and disap
pointed with the information he had just re
ceived, was much pleased with the candor and
intelligence with which his q lestiona had been
answered; and was desirous of improving his
acquaintance with his informant. He accord
ingly sent round an usher to invite the barris
ter to lunch in the judge’s lotiring-room. with
such of his friends as he should choose to
bring with him. I was fortunate enough to bt
selected for inclusion in the invitation, in com
pany with the M. C., the country gentleman,
and the physician, and together we followed
the usher to the judge's private apartment,
where we were most hospitably entertained.
The affability of their lordships' manner quite
removed the uneasiness which we were at first
disposed to feel at our novel position as guests
of those who had lately been sitting in judg
ment on our mortal lives, and the conversation
soon became general and unrestrained. The
banister alone teemed not quite at his ease; he
appeared to feel somewhat humiliated at the re
collection of the account which he had been
compelled to give of the condition of the Eng
lish law; and as soon as luncheon was over he
took an opportunity of assuring Minos that
hings were not in this respect so bad in Eng
land as his description of them might have led
their lordships to imagine. The detects which
he had been enumerating affected after all only
—or at least principally—the determination ol
civil disputes. With respect to the punish
ment of crime, the English law might, he said,
be described without exaggeration as nearly
faultless, both as regarded its principle and its
administration' At these words the three jadges
exchanged a rapid glance, a remarkable convul
sion appeared to pass over their features, and
we all saw that it was only their good breeding
which prevented them from bursting into a fit
of laughter. The barrister, rather nettled , at
this,-* piticoeded is asseverate that udder the
English c i ninal system, the protection of in
nocence and the punishment of guilt were
almost absolutely secured. Upon this Minos
rose from his chair, and beckoned us to follow
him into an adjoining room. We did so, and
found ourselves in a spacious aud well-ap
pointed library. Minos walked straight up tc
a shelf on the left hand side of tae room, and
pointing to a row of large folio volumes, bound
in crimson and lettered in gilt, desired us to
read their titles. I transcribe that of ono oi
them, which may be taken as a speciman of the
rest. It was in these words:—‘Human Justice
Double Failukes. YoI. evii. [England, Vol.
XVI. 1775—1800.]' We looked around us, and
saw that the whole of the shelves on one side of
the library were filled with these crimson-
boand volumes, similarly lettered in every in-
tice is administe red.’
With these words he took down from th»
shelf the volume whose superscription I have
Iran; cribed, and opening it at random, laid it
on the table before us. We ail crowded round
to inspect the page which wai laid open to our
view. I subjoin the following txtract from it,
which will show the careful and orderly man
ner in which the registers are kept:
No. 54; Crime, Speepstealing; Person Guilty,
Roger Bobfold; Persons punished, Gregosy Ca
pers: Panishment, Death: Cause of Judicial
Failure, Defect of Emglish Criminal Procedure.
Prisoner, unable to be witness on his own bs-
haif. And so on the book ran ad in jiniton.
We had not the heart to read further, and we
closed the book, amidst a profound silence. Th6
barrister was the fiist to break it.
■I admit,’ he said, ‘that I should have more
carefully limited my approbation of our crirni-
n«l jurisprudence to an opproval of its adrmn-
tration during thb last thirty years; at the same
time I confess to an extreme surprise at the
amount ot judicial failures which it has been
your lordship’s duty to resister. In those days
I fear punishment was distributed in a manner
more comprehensive than discriminating. Still,
it must be admitted that though the innocent
did not always.escape the sword of the law, the
guilty never did.
Again the same peculiar sruiie flitted over the
countenance of the three judges, and Minos
crossed the library, making a sign to us to fol
low him. Ranging along the shelves on the oth
er side, we olsjrved rows of volumes, similar
in size and appearance to those we had been ex
amining, with the exception that they were
bound in green instead of crimson, and letter
ed with the worde ‘Single Failukes.' Minos
removed one of these volumes from its place,
and placed it before ns.
‘Those cases,’he said, ‘in which an innocent
person has been executed for the supposed com
mission of crime, while its actual perpetrator
has escaped, are registered as you have ssen,
under the head of ‘Double Failures.’ But there
are also, though you seem to be unaware of it,
many cases of crime in England, very many, in
which, though no one sufibrs unjustly, the per
petrator of the crime escapes with impunity.
On this side of the library, and undei the title
ol ‘Single Failures,’ all such cases are register
ed.’ He opened the book and exhibited before
us a tabulated list of coses.
We again closed the book in extreme humilia
tion, and the barrister no longer ventured to
continue the defence of English crimininal ju
risprudence.
‘Come, sir,’ said Minos kindly, ‘do not be too
much discouraged; your country, after all,
s.aods in many respec’s higher than most oth
ers as an a Iministrator of criminal law.'
‘How so ?’ inquired the barrister, pointing to
•Bless my soul —I mtan bless me!’ exclaimed
the phpsieian, ‘where have I seen that face be
fore ? Ah ! I remember now. I appeared as a
witness for him two years ago, at the Old Bailey.
A clear case of dementia, culminating in homi
cidal mania.’
Minos smiled sardonically.
‘He is one of the l>st conducted and most
intelligent prisoners on the books.’ he remark
ed. ‘But though they are not all as intelligent,
they are all equally sane, and all have been ac
quitted on the ground of insanity.’
(To be Continued.J
CHRISTMAS AT THE DEAF
DUMB ASYLUM.
AND
—Cardinal Ajq iini, who died in Rome, Decem
ber 22, was one of the most constant companions of
1’ius IX. in his last years- lie was made a cardin
al in 1844, and during his life was an active mem
ber ot uo lewer than uiue of the most important
Congregations of Cardinals. Leo XIII is mourn,
ing the death of his old and dear friend Sterbini
He and Monsieur Pecci, as long ago as the pontifil
cate of Gregory XV1., were sent into the provinces
to clear the Papal States of brigandsge, Pecci being
the Papal Delegate, and Sterbini the commander
of a little troop of bandit-hunters-
Sometimes, as we tread life's sterile path, there
comes to us the fragrance of a good deed or a beau
tiful incident to stir the immortal within us. Such
a perfume of kindly act and lovely incident floats
to us across ihe hills of upper Georgia, from a broad-
winged building, resting like a white bird among
the billowy hills—a structure built by the State as
ftn asylum for it’s Deaf and Dumb.
There are seventy children sheltered by those
broad, white wings, children to whose minds, lock
ed up by the imperfections of the senses, science
and patience have applied the key, opening to them
the rich world of thought, so that they sit uo
longer in dull loneliness, as it were behind prison
walls.
Christmas was drawing near to those inmates of
Cave Spring Asylum—a dull Christmas it promised
to be, and the teachers had told the little ones that
Santa Claus had sent word he could not come this
year, was frozen up perhaps by the cold wave; at
least (they thought to themselves) the hearts of
the people are frozen, especially those of the Legis
lature, which had growled so savagely over the
fgdy dollars spen; in pre.vents for the children’' last
Christmas.
No there could be no Christmas stockings kuna-
up, no Christmas tree, for though a few of the
children had holiday presents sent them by par
ents and friends, there were at least forty liule
ones, orphans aud children of the poor, who had
none, aud Santa Claus must not seem to leave these
out in the cold- Such was the teacher’s decision, but
there was a visitor at Cave Spring—a gentleman
whose beautiful little daughter was an inmate there
who, strongly protested against letting Christmas
go by without the time-honored children’s jubilee.
His own Ethel would have presents in plenty, but
he knew her unselfish little heart would take" small
delight in them if others were disappointed,
and his happiness was bound up in hers. He des
termined to lend all his pocket change to Santa
Claus : then larger ideas dawned upon him. He
would give others a chance to make the Cave
Spring children happy atid would have one of the
grandest of Christmas trees. So, at once he wrote
letters to certain gentlemen in this city of railroads
—men whose purses, though pretty large as times
go, were microscopical as compared with their bio-
heurts. They had holiday wares, he said, upon
their shelves; let them gather up a few and send
them to hang upon the children’s Christinas tree at
Cave Spring ; by so doing they might be producing
fruit for their own tree of lasting life.
So confident was he of a favorable response that
he caused a fine branching pine tree to be upr> o.ed
from its native Hill and borne into the parlor of
the asylum, where the doubters looked at it in
credulously, as the Baal worship 1 ers may have
looked at the propnet’s sacrifice. There was the
altar and the sacrifice but where was the fire?
‘An awful big Christmas tree, seeing that there's
no likelihood of its bearing any fruit,’ was their
comment, to which cur visitor answered ‘Oh ye of
little faith ! The tree shall have its boughs weighed
down with fruit.’
And so it proved, for the asylum wagon came
back from the depot upon Christmas eve with uo
less than seven great boxes. A messenger was se
cretly dispatched to town in spite of the stiugino-
cold—for any number of little colored tapers, and
when the> arrived our happy, visitor shut himself
in the parlor, and with the assistance of the teach
ers and a few of the delighted elder girls, trans
formed the pine of the hillside into an en’chanud
t*ee, loaded with wonderful fruit and sparklina-
with fairy lights. 6
Such was the picture that greeted the seventy
pairs of wide, ecstatic eyes upon Christmas morn
ing. IIow they sparkled and flashed and were elo
quent, as only the eyes of the children ofsilence who
have uo other medium of language, cau ever be.
Cave Spring had never known such a day of de'
light: the father of the fair Ethel had never tasted
so pure a pleasure. Till the sun went down, and
the frosty Christmas stars shone over the wintry
world merriment reigned within the walls of Cave
Spring asylum, aud when sleep kissed the eyes
ot the little voiceless ones nestled in their warm
beds, their dreams no doubt repeated the pleasure
af the day Mart E. Bryan.
I?