what say you to this indictment? Are you guilty thereof, or not guilty?'
'Not guilty,' said Jerry; 'and here's my wife can tell you the same, any day. Sally, have n't I always provided for my family?'
'Why, yes,' said Mrs. Guttridge, 'I don’t know but you have as well as———'
'Stop, stop!' said the judge, looking down over the top of his spectacles at the witness, 'stop, Mrs. Guttridge; you must not answer questions until you have been sworn.'
The court then directed the clerk to swear the witnesses; whereupon, he called Nat. Frier and Sally Guttridge to step forward, and hold up their right hands. Mr. Frier advanced, with a ready, honest air, and held up his hand. Mrs. Guttridge lingered a little behind; but when at last she faltered along, with feeble and hesitating step, and held up her thin, trembling hand, and raised her pale blue eyes, half swimming in tears, toward the court, and exhibited her care-worn features, which, though sun-burnt, were pale and sickly, the judge had in his own mind more than half decided the case against Jerry. The witnesses having been sworn, Mrs. Guttridge was called to the stand.
'Now, Mrs. Guttridge,' said the judge, 'you are not obliged to testify against your husband any thing more than you choose; your testimony must be voluntary. The court will ask you questions touching the case, and you can answer them or not, as you may think best. And in the first place, I will ask you whether your husband neglects to provide for the necessary wants of his family; and whether you do, or do not, have comfortable food and clothing for yourself and children?'
'Well, we go pretty hungry, a good deal of the time,' said Mrs. Guttridge, trembling; 'but I don’t know but Mr. Guttridge does the best he can about it. There do n't seem to be any victuals that he can get, a good deal of the time.'
'Well, is he, or is he not, in the habit of spending his time idly, when he might be at work, and earning something for his family to live upon?'
'Why, as to that,' replied the witness, 'Mr. Guttridge do n't work much; but I don't know as he can help it; it does n't seem to be his natur' to work. Somehow, he do n't seem to be made like other folks; for if he tries ever so much, he can't never work but a few minutes at a time; the natur' do n't seem to be in him.
'Well, well,' said the judge, casting a dignified and judicial glance at the culprit, who stood with mouth wide: open, and eyes fixed on the court with an intentness that showed he began to take some interest in the matter; 'well, well, perhaps the court will be able to put the natur' in him.'
Mrs. Guttridge was directed to step aside, and Mr. Nat. Frier was called to the stand. His testimony was very much to the point; clear, and conclusive. But as the reader is already in possession of the substance of it, it is unnecessary to recapitulate it. Suffice it to say, that when he was called upon to repeat the reproachful language which Jerry had bestowed upon the witness, there was much shuddering, and an awful rolling of eyes, throughout the court room,
