James Fenimore Cooper

“ The prisoner was duly arraigned, and his plea again demanded. Mr. Lippet had anticipated the answers of Natty, and in a whisper advised him how to plead. But the feelings of the old hunter were awakened by some of the expressions in the indictment, and, forgetful of his caution, he exclaimed:
"'Tis a wicked untruth; I crave no man's blood. Them thieves, the Iroquois, won't say it to any face that I ever thirsted after man's blood, I have fou't as soldier that feared his Maker and his officer, but I never pulled trigger on any but a warrior that was up and awake. ”

“ It was now the duty of the Judge to deliver his charge. It consisted of a short, comprehensive summary of the testimony, laying bare the artifice of the prisoner’s counsel, and placing the facts in so obvious a light that they could not well be misunderstood. "Living as we do, gentlemen," he concluded, "on the skirts of society, it becomes doubly necessary to protect the ministers of the law. If you believe the witnesses, in their construction of the acts of the prisoner, it is your duty to convict him ”

“ Lippet, if you are retained for the prisoner," interrupted Judge Temple, "instruct your client how to plead; if not, the court will assign him counsel."
Aroused from studying the indictment by this appeal, the attorney got up, and after a short dialogue with the hunter in a low voice, he informed the court that they were ready to proceed.
"Do you plead guilty or not guilty?" said the Judge.
"I may say not guilty, with a clean conscience," returned Natty; "for there’s no guilt in doing what’s right; and I’d rather died on the spot, than had him put foot in the hut at that moment." ”

“ Van der School arose to address the jury, he commenced by saying:
"Gentlemen of the jury, I should have interrupted the leading questions put by the prisoner’s counsel (by leading questions I mean telling him what to say) , did I not feel confident that the law of the land was superior to any ad vantages (I mean legal advantages) which he might obtain by his art. The counsel for the prisoner, gentlemen, has endeavored to persuade you, in opposition to your own good sense, to believe that pointing a rifle at a constable (elected or deputed) is a very innocent affair ”

“ By ten o’clock the streets of the village were filled with busy faces; some talking of their private concerns, some listening to a popular expounder of political creeds; and others gaping in at the open stores, admiring the finery, or examining scythes, axes, and such other manufactures as attracted their curiosity or excited their admiration. A few women were in the crowd, most carrying infants, and followed, at a lounging, listless gait, by their rustic lords and masters. ”

“ Come, friend, let me pass; it’s long sin’ I’ve been used to such crowds, and I crave to be in the woods agin. Don’t fear me, Judge-- I bid you not to fear me; for if there’s beaver enough left on the streams, or the buckskins will sell for a shilling apiece, you shall have the last penny of the fine. Where are ye, pups? come away, dogs, come away! we have a grievous toil to do for our years, but it shall be done--yes, yes, I’ve promised it, and it shall be done!"
It is unnecessary to say that the movement of the Leather-Stocking was again intercepted by the constable ”

“ Van der School removed his spectacles, folded them and, replacing them once more on his nose, eyed the other bill which he held in his hand, and then said, looking at the bar over the top of his glasses; I shall rest the prosecution here, if the court please."
Judge Temple arose and began the charge.
"Gentlemen of the jury," he said, "you have heard the testimony, and I shall detain you but a moment. If an officer meet with resistance in the execution of a process, he has an undoubted right to call any citizen to his assistance ”

“ Yes, yes--you see the reason of the thing, and the wicked ness of shutting up an old man that has spent his days, as one may say, where he could always look into the windows of heaven."
"I must be governed by the law--"
"Talk not to me of law, Marmaduke Temple," interrupted the hunter. "Did the beast of the forest mind your laws, when it was thirsty and hungering for the blood of your own child? She was kneeling to her God for a greater favor than I ask, and he heard her ”

“ Kirby?" said the counsel for the prisoner.
"Me! no," said Billy, casting his eyes oven his own huge frame with evident self-satisfaction; "I’m not to be skeared so easy."
"You look like a hardy man; where were you born, sir?"
"Varmount State; ‘tis a mountaynious place, but there’s a stiff soil, and it’s pretty much wooded with beech and maple."
"I have always heard so," said Mr. Lippet soothingly. "You have been used to the rifle yourself in that country."
"I pull the second best trigger in this county. I knock under to Natty Bumppo, there, sin’ he shot the pigeon." ”

“ Here Mr. Vain der School favored the jury with an abridgment of the testimony, recounted in such a manner as utterly to confuse the faculties of his worthy listeners. After this exhibition he closed as follows: "And now, gentlemen, having thus made plain to your senses the crime of which this unfortunate man has been guilty (unfortunate both on account of his ignorance and his guilt) , I shall leave you to your own consciences ”

“ After a good deal of difficulty, he succeeded in drawing from his pocket a small bag, and then found utterance.
"If-so-be," he said, "that your honor is agreeable to trust the poor fellow out on another cruise among the beasts, here’s a small matter that will help to bring down the risk, seeing that there’s just thirty-five of your Spaniards in it; and I wish, from the bottom of my heart, that they was raal British guineas, for the sake of the old boy. But ‘tis as it is ”