The Land Claim — page 34: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

30 ~ THE LAND-CLAIM. waiting in suppressed wrath to obtain this sanction to their already settled convictions, now began to mutter threats, and to talk about “stringing him up,” “ putting him in the Mis- souri,” and the like methods of executing hasty justice ; none of which threats seemed to alarm the prisoner, who, during the whole examination, had been calm, though sullen; and had only said in reply to a question from the Judge as to what defense he could make, that be “had not killed Ed- wards ; that there was somebody in ‘the woods besides him.” The sheriff, constable and a few others quietly surrounded the prisoner; and the Judge requested the crowd to disperse peaceably, as the law was amply able to take care of offend- ers; and that they must show respect for it by keeping it themselves ; counsel to which they reluctantly yielded, after some mutterings. Then came a scene which tried the nerves of the specta- tors. The poor unhappy daughter, who felt that she had done her father so miserable a service, was waiting for the opportunity to beg his forgiveness before leaving him to lone- liness and imprisonment. Throwing herself on the floor, she bowed her head on his knees, and gave way to sobs that wrenched her delicate frame with their violence. “Oh, my father! would I had died before I spoke such words asI did. If they kill you, they shall kill me, too ; for what have I to live for, without mother or father? Oh, heaven! how terrible it is!” To these piteous lamentations the offended father turned an indifferent ear. “She could cry .and lament, now that she had done what she could to deprive herself of a father; but she must not expect pity from one she had not pitied ;” and, finally, he expressed himself weary of her complaints, and, It would have been well for Thomas Newcome if he had shown some compassion for his suffering daughter—the im- pression of his cruel nature gaining more ground among those who witnessed this exhibition of it from this one circum- stance, than from the accredited fact of the shooting an enemy. | But there was pity for her in other hearts, if not in his connicloooks. com