Paris Correspondence [pp. 358-365]

358 Midnight. —From ou~~~ Paris Correspondent. [J~~~N0
were lavish in their acknowledgments to their
generous defender, and in promises of more substantial thanks to be paid at a future day: while
that worthy, with much more truth than they
suspected, declared that he had only done his
duty, and that he desired no other reward than
the satisfaction which he felt at their acquittal.
The two gentlemen, whose adventure we have
narrated, retired from the Court house, arm in
arm, into somewhat freer respiration than they
had enjoyed for two days, and exchanged mutual congratulations on the fortunate result.
They needed no note of a case so singular:
wherein innocent men were accused by honest
witnesses, and were prosecuted and defended by
the real perpetrators of the offence laid to their
charge. And, though several years were allowed to pass, ere they ventured, in the social hours
of circuit life, to relate the circumstances to their
brethren of the bar, their vivid recollections were
manifest in the spirit and unction, with which
the story was told.*
* Children always ask, at the end of a story-" is it
true?" And older people are very apt to put the question to themselves, if they do not utter it. To satisfy this
natural curiosity, so far as our editorial word can do it,
we answer that it is true "to the best of our information
and belief." It was current,and not denied to our knowledge, among the contemporaries of the reputed actors:
one of whom subsequently attained the dignities of Judge
and Governor, and the other, (if we are not mistaken,)
became a Secretary of State.
epmg,
Is steeping,
eeling blent,
Sment?
tching hour,
their power,asted,
n wastedtung,
s being sprungb shed,
not spreadI only bloom,
t omb,bosom press,
tfulness
orcery
T such a sky.
wly tre.ad,
dusty bed,
dare essay
happier day,
blithe of yore,
he shore,
ar i
despaird gem perchance
led glance,
ies hoarded,
am-guarded,
i l guise,
nd'ring eyes,
htest spray,
ve borne the leaves away.
A. R. FORT.
Saratoga ring#, N.Y.
MIDNIGHT.
FROM OUR PARIS CORRESPONDENT.
PARIS, April, 1850.
'Tis midnight! and the moonbeams gleam
O'er village spire and mountain stream;
The tree-tops in yon ancient wood,
Seen dripping from a silver flood,
And lawn, and bower, and rustic seat,
And upland green, and cottage neat,
Lie hushed beneath yon arching sky,
Calm as the sleep of infancy.
The robe of Night is tinged with gold,
As Day yet linger'd'neath its fold,
That softening the too fervent glow
Made veiled radiance belowThe breeze that hailed the morning light,
Shall rest his wearied wings to night,
The poplar leaf-no more is stirred,
The hooting owl alone is heard,
The day's glad birds no longer sing,
But sleep with head beneath the wing,
The very shadows as they fall
Seem chained to earth in mystic thrall,
Such is the stillness of the air
When Nature bows in silent prayer.
And cannot such a night bestow
Some charm to soothe remembered woe,
The principal scientific event of the last month
has been an important communication to the
Academy from the illustrious physical philosopher Arago. The communication derived a special and melancholy interest from a personal allusion to himself, with which it was introduced.
and which awakens the apprehension that the
long and distinguished career of the savant is
drawing to a close. " The bad state of my health,"
said he, "and my decaying vision, which has
become suddenly and seriously impaired, have
inspired me with the desire,-I had almost said,
have imposed upon me the duty-to proceed to a
prompt publication of the scientific results which
have for a long time been sleeping in my portfolio. I have determined to commence with Photometry, that science which, originating in our
Academy of Sciences, has, so far as experiments
are concerned, remained almost stationary in
the midst of the brilliant progress which Optics
have made during the lat half aentury. Being
358
Midnight.-From our Paris Corretpondent.