An Outcast; Or, Virtue and FaithAdams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
General
An Outcast; Or, Virtue and Faith
Adams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
Conduct of life -- Fiction; United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Vice -- Fiction
The old Antiquary made out his schedule with the aid of the good-hearted
jailer, who inserted as his effects, "_Necessary wearing apparel_." It
was all he had. Like the gallant Fremont, when he offered to resign his
shirts to his chivalric creditor, he could give them no more. A few
questions are put; the old man answers them with childlike simplicity,
then sits down, his trembling fingers wandering into his beard. Mr.
Crimpton produces his paper, sets forth his objections, and asks
permission to file them, that the case may come before a jury of
"Special Bail."
Permission is granted. The reader will not fail to discover the object
of this procedure. Keepum hopes to continue the old man in prison, that
he may succeed in breaking down the proud spirit of his daughter.
The Commissioner listens attentively to the reading of the objections.
The first sets forth that Mr. McArthur has a gold watch;[7] the second,
that he has a valuable breastpin, said to have been worn by Lord
Cornwallis; and the third, that he has one Yorick's skull. All of these,
Mr. Crimpton regrets to say, are withheld from the schedule, which
virtually constitutes fraud. The facile Commissioner bows; the assembled
crowd look on unmoved; but the old man shakes his head and listens. He
is surprised to find himself accused of fraud; but the law gives him no
power to show his own innocence. The Judge of the Sessions was competent
to decide the question now raised, and to have prevented this reverting
to a "special jury"--this giving the vindictive plaintiff a means of
torturing his infirm victim. Had he but listened to the old man's tale
of poverty, he might have saved the heart of that forlorn girl many a
bitter pang.
[Footnote 7: Our Charleston readers will recognize the case here
described, without any further key.]
The motion granted, a day is appointed--ten days must elapse--for a
hearing before the Commissioner of "Special Bail," and his special jury.
The rosy-faced functionary, being a jolly and somewhat flexible sort of
man, must needs give his health an airing in the country. What is the
liberty of a poor white with us? Our Governor, whom we esteem singularly
sagacious, said it were better all our poor were enslaved, and this
opinion finds high favor with our first families. The worthy
Commissioner, in addition to taking care of his health, is expected to
make any number of speeches, full of wind and war, to several recently
called Secession Conventions. He will find time (being a General by
courtesy) to review the up-country militia, and the right and left
divisions of the South Carolina army. He will be feted by some few of
our most distinguished Generals, and lecture before the people of
Beaufort (a very noisy town of forty-two inhabitants, all heroes), to
whom he will prove the necessity of our State providing itself with an
independent steam navy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account