The Light in the Clearing: A Tale of the North Country in the Time of Silas WrightBacheller, Irving
General
The Light in the Clearing: A Tale of the North Country in the Time of Silas Wright
Bacheller, Irving
New York (State) -- Fiction; Wright, Silas, 1795-1847 -- Fiction
"Deponent saith that about eleven o'clock on the evening of the,
24th of September (that on which the attack upon me was made) a man
unknown to him called at his office and alleged that a friend of
the stranger had been injured and was in need of surgical aid. He
further alleged that his friend was in trouble and being sought
after and that he, the caller, dared not, therefore, reveal the
place where his friend had taken refuge. He offered the deponent
the sum of ten dollars to submit to the process of blindfolding and
of being conducted to I said place for the purpose of giving relief
to the injured man. Whereupon the deponent declares that he
submitted to said process and was conducted by wagon and trail to a
bark shanty at some place in the woods unknown to him where the
bandage was removed from his eyes. He declares further that he
found there, a strong built, black-bearded man about thirty years
of age, and a stranger to him, lying on a bed of boughs in the
light of a fire and none other. This man was groaning in great pain
from a wound made by some heavy weapon on the side of his head. The
flesh of the cheek and ear were swollen and lacerated. Deponent
further declares that he administered an opiate and dressed and put
a number of stitches in the injured parts and bound them with a
bandage soaked in liniment. Then deponent returned to his home,
blindfolded as he had left it. He declares that the time consumed
in the journey from the shanty to his home was one hour and ten
minutes."
It should be said that, in the theory of the district attorney the
effort to retire the principal witness, if, indeed, that were the
intention of their pursuit of me, originated in the minds of lawless and
irresponsible men. I know that there are those who find a joy in
creating mysteries and defeating the law, but let it be set down here
that I have never concurred in the views of that able officer.
At the examination of Amos Grimshaw my knowledge was committed to the
records and ceased to be a source of danger to me. Grimshaw came to the
village that day. On my way to the court room I saw him walking slowly,
with bent head as I had seen him before, followed by old Kate. She
carried her staff in her left hand while the forefinger of her right
was pointing him out. Silent as a ghost and as unheeded--one would
say--she followed his steps.
I remember when I went on the stand my eyes filled with tears. Amos gave
me an appealing look that went to my heart. It was hard for me to tell
the truth that day--never has it been so hard. If I had had the riches
of Grimshaw himself I would have given them to be relieved. Was there
nothing that I could do for Amos?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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