The Old Homestead

ty web the

ed and bl

d his victim

iver of h

ayor was alone in his private room, and the Alderman left his two companions in the outer office, while he held a moment's private conversation with his honor. There was a sort of boisterous exultation in

ed seat close to the Mayor, and laid

ready to enter a complaint-I told you the

re. In all these doubtful cases-do you understand?-I never receive a direct complaint. It must

"why Chester is one of his especial pets. It w

before him. Further than that, he has no power, no voice in the matter. It rests by

y venture the case wi

tful. "He will do al

, I am

nce-half these fellows know nothing about the law, and when we break them it casts some of the odium on him. It gives him an appearance of res

his witnesses, and wen

ty-four hours after, w

d on the night

n the point of a pencil, which he tried from time to time on a sheet of paper that lay on the desk before hi

s presence was evidently annoying to his honor, who dreaded the shrewd observation, the keen knowledge of men and things which would be brought to bear on the examination. He would rather have encountered the whole bar of New York, than the sharp, but apparently careless scrutiny of this one man. But there sat

mile now and then gleam in the eyes of that obstinate functionary, but otherwise he seemed profoundly unconscious that his presence was in the least disa

ty. He awaited the proceedings with quiet indignation. Behind him stood the two men whom he had followed from the dram-shop on the

. With all his coolness he had not the nerve to look direc

ere, Mr. Chester?"

unsel, if I am to have a fair t

r one!" said the Mayor, sharpening his pencil afresh,

hful scorn, that the Mayor felt it

for proof of the charges that h

's eyes were upon him as he touched the book, and the man turned visibly pale. But in h

ularly, knowing it to be against the law for policemen to indulge in drinking while on duty. The witness went out with his companion, leaving Chester by the stove, evidently much affected by what he had drank. As he and his companion stood beneath an old tree that grew in front of th

een Chester down upon the ice, and had been told that he was intoxicated; so in good faith, and wi

y, he felt something of horror, something unselfish, in analyzing the cold-blooded craft, and unflinching perjury that had been brought to bear upon him. There was absolute sublimity in his pale silence

low and deep-toned as a bell; it made the Mayor start with its clear, searching accents. He told the truth, the simple,

ted to mine, eye to eye, with the man he accuses. If he can do this, I ask no other defence. Let him say who it is that has instigated him to heap this foul wrong upon an in

rwise-his face, his very mouth were white; he trembled from head to foot. Conscience tugging at his evil heart, had w

stantiated it. You had the right to question him then. The

ll to sharpening his pencil again, and the Alderman made an effort to open a little gate in the corner of the railing, and would have approached his honor. But the constraining look with which his attempt to open the gate was receiv

o offer-no witnesses?" said

orehead. "I have told the truth; if that is not belie

hance prisoners were sometimes locked, and hung with gilded stars, and fir

y lifted her large eyes to his an instant, and g

addressing the startled Mayor in the same sweet t

atter?" said his honor sharply,

ng I do know," answere

pea

hoping to have found a legal reason for sending away the

ve, sir-ju

glance at the Chief's clo

what this poor child desires to say,

his honor, but with a disturbed countenance, and taking a little worn Bible, mark

both her hands and pressed

Mayor, "what do

ear-poor Mrs. Chester was very anxious, and I thought p

g to do with the

ow I came by the door. Well, sir, I heard what these men said about Mr. Chester. I knew their voices, sir, for I have heard t

here, Mary?" exclaimed Chester, greatl

l to eat supper, I asked her to let me make a cup of warm coffee and carry it out to him on his beat. She would not let me make the coffee, but the idea pleased her and she made it herself, and poured it into a little covered pitcher, while I put on a hood and shawl. I knew the way, sir, and was not in the least afraid of the night or anything else, for the stars were out and nobody ever thinks of harming a little girl like me. Some pity, and some laugh; but I am never afraid of real harm even in the night. I said this to Mrs. Chester, for she did not like to have me go

out. There had been some noise in the store, as if people were quarrelling, but all that died away, and then two men came out and stopped by the tree where I was standing. I kept still as a mouse, and press

ast-Jones saw him take

nes cannot say that.' It was anoth

get this fellow out of the way-and so must you,

ery pale, but I thought it was only the moonlight strikin

en, 'now have your foot r

ot like to let them see me, and so waited a little, meaning to follow him when they were gone, and give him the coffee. He passe

itcher slip from my hand and break upon the stones, but could not even try to save it. He had been so kind to me-there was only one thought come to me through the cold-they would take him home to his wife, dead. I knew it would break her heart, and still I could not m

ey gave me no time to look up. I hoped by that to find Mr. Chester not so badly hurt as he seemed. This gave me strength, and I got home sooner than I should have

on her face, for she saw that cold, sneering smile, peculiar to the

se men-can you point them out

em again, but by the voice of that man," and she p

ll you know!"

is all!" and the child crept to the si

ooked down kindly upon her, an

ayor

, or weeks at farthest, the case shall be decided-it requires consideration; it requires a pa

to withdraw. The clerk rolled up his minutes and the witnesses went out,

riendly sympathy in his manner. He wrung Chester's hand, and uttered a few cheering words. Chester could not speak. His firm lips began to quive

lone had power to wring tears from his firm manhood, and Chester led his little protege home with a heavy heart, and a heavy, heavy