The Works of Mrs. Ann S. Stephens Volume 18

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1876 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XXXI. THE TOMBS LAWYER. As reptiles haunt a prison wall, And search, ts broken cliflj for food; Bome human beings cringe and crawl For daily bread where sorrow! brood. Mrs. Gray found more difficulty in performing her benevolent intentions with regard to the Warrens, than she had ever before encountered. Ignorant as a child of all legal proceedings, she found no aid either in the old prisoner, his wife, or his grandchild, who were more uninformed and far less hopeful than herself. Her brother Jacob, on whom she had depended for aid and counsel, much to her surprise, not only refused to take any responsibility in her kind efforts, but looked coldly upon the whole affair. It was not in Jacob Strong's nature to shrink from - kind action; for his rude exterior covered a heart true and warm as evrr beat. But the part he had already taken in those events that led to William Leicester's death; the almost insane fear that haunted his mistress, lest the murderer should escape punishment; the taunts that had wrung his strong heart to the core, but which she had so ruthlessly heaped upon him--all these things conspired in rendering him more than indifferent to the fate of a man whom he had never seen, and whom he wished to find guilty. He received his good sister's entreaties for counsel, therefore, with reproof, and a stern admonition not o meddle with affairs beyond her knowledge. Thus thrown upon her own resources, the good woman, by no means daunted, resolved to conduct the affair after her own fashion. Robert, it is true, had volunteered to aid her, and had already applied to an eminent lawyer to conduct old Mr Warren's defence; but the retainer demanded, and the large gum of money expected, when laid before the good huckster woman, quite horrified h...