ps
of letters, allusions in the course of correspondence, and so on; the
object of which was to show that although the late Walter Carew had some
secret reason of his own for maintaining a mystery about his marriage,
that of the fact of the marriage there could be no doubt,--nor of the
legitimacy of him who claimed to be his heir; neither are we able to
enter upon the intricate question of establishing the identity of the
present claimant; suffice it to say that he succeeded in connecting him
with a number of events from the days of his earliest childhood to a
comparatively recent period, all corroboratory of his assumption; the
possession of the seal and arms of his family, his name, and, above all,
the unmistakable traits of family resemblance, being wonderful evidences
in his favor. Indeed, we are not aware of a more dramatic incident in
the administration of justice than our court presented yesterday,
when, at the close of his seven hours' speech, full of all its details,
narrative and legal, the able counsel suddenly paused, and, in a voice
of subdued accent, asked if there chanced at that moment to be present
in the court any of those who once enjoyed the friendship or even the
acquaintance of the late Walter Carew. He was one, continued he, not
easily to be forgotten, even by a casual observer. His tall and manly
figure, the type at once of dignity and strength, his bold, high
forehead, his deep-set blue eyes, soft as a child's in their expression,
or sparkling like the orbs of an eagle; his mouth more characteristic
than all, since, though marked by an air of pride, it never moved
without an expression of genial kindliness and good-humor,--the traits
that we love to think eminently national; the mingled nature of daring
intrepidity with a careless ease; the dash of almost reckless courage
with a still milder gayety,--these were all his. Are there not some
here, is there not even one who can recall them? And if there be, let
him look there! and he pointed to the gallery beside the jury-box, at
the end of which was seated a young man, pale and sickly-looking, it is
true, but whose countenance at once corroborated the picture. The vast
multitude that filled the body of the court, crowding every avenue and
space, and even invading the seats reserved for the Bar, rose as one
man, and turned to gaze on the living evidence of the description. It
would be difficult to conceive a more striking scene enacted within
walls w