The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 268: what you’re looking at

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

THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. 2665 should be able to do something to inflict more pain and anguish upon those whom he had already doomed to so much. ; On the morning of the trial he appeared anxious and excited, muttering to himself something continually, which they could not make out, although they made great efforts sotodo. He scarcely ate anything; and to the efforts of the chaplain to get him into a serene state of mind, he replied now by downright rudeness, It was a most uncomfortable thought for Mabel, that she would have to come inte a court of justice, and confront Stern- hole. But she was told that it could not be avoided; for al- though what be was placed upon his trial for was the murder of the young traveler at the inn, of which she knew nothing, yet It was considered desirable she should identify the prisoner, as the man who had been evidently lurking about the neighborhood, and who had stopped her in the plantation close to the lake near Morton Hall. This evidence, combined with that of Brolickbones, and that of the late hostler, and last, although far from least, that of sleepy and troubled Tom, it was considered, formed a circum- stantial presumption of the guilt of Sternholde, which would be extremely difficult for him to get over. The avenues to the court were crowded to the greatest excess some hours before the trial took place; so much so, indeed, that it was only by the assistance of the police, and they-had to make the greatest possible exertions to accomplish so much, that Ca tain Morton and his little party could find a way into the body of the court. It was filled completely, notwitbstanding all the efforts of the door-keepers, in the course of a few moments, and then the people who were within shut and barred the door themselves against the pressure from without, exerted by their less fortu- nate brethren. A number of prisoners were placed at the bar, and pleaded to different indictments; after which the name of Sternholde was mentioned. At this there was an unusual movement of curiosit among the people. They all turned their heads toward thedoc to get a sight of the malefactor. In about a minute he made his appearance, and the sinister aspect of his countenance struck every one present. He had all the stern, dogged looks of a man whom one would suppose to be capable of almost any crime. He advanced, with a firm step, toward the front of the bar, and then, sweeping off with an im- etuous gesture, some of the herbs which were there placed be- ore him, he glanced fearlessly about him. His dress was plain, but somehow, during his imprisonment, he had contrived to at- tire himself well enough; and he had got rid of much of the abundance of hair which used to disfigure his visage, so that, with the exception of a large pair of mustaches, he presented no striking peculiarity of appearance beyond that of a man witha very forbidding expression of face. The formalities of the court, as regards the reading of the in- comicbooks. com