THE GENESEE FARMER. 



351 



A TRIAL FO 

 We give this month an engraving designed by the 

 imous Grandville. It is taken from a book entitled 

 'cenes in the Private and Public Life of Animals. The 

 Iditor, in his introduction, saj's that the object of the 

 jxt which accompanies the engravings is to ofter to these 

 ketches a frame which shall make them more accessible; 

 nd under the title of "Studies of Cotemporaueous 

 [anners," Balzac, George Sand, Janin, and other dis- 

 inguished Fienchmen have made some excellent nils 

 pon the habits and follies of the age. 

 We intend to give our young friends, from time to 

 ime, many of these life-like pictures. This one is a 

 cene in Court, where the wolf, who has been accused 

 f taking the life of a sheep and lamb under the most 

 ggravating circumstances, is brought up for trial by 

 tvo bull dogs, by whom he was arrested with the fatal 

 nife in his hand. A crow, who is the reporter to 

 ue of the daily journals, gives an account of the whole 

 rial in the felicitous style common to his class. We 

 ead: 

 "A frightful crime, committed under circumstances 

 he most aggravating, has cast a gloom over the whole 

 ountry. A sheep, who in escaping from her fold had 

 liven to domestic animals an example of noble inde- 

 endence, has b^n cruelly murdered with her lamb. A 

 rolf, guilty of this crime, was immediately arrested, still 

 olding the knife of the assassin. He has made several 

 ttempts to kill himself, but has been prevented from 

 ompleting his odious design. Too much praise can not 

 e awarded to the Captain of the Bull-dog Police for the 

 oolness and bravery which he has displayed in making 

 bis perilous arrest." 



R MURDER. 



Another issue of this journal has an account of the 

 trial 



"From early in the morning an immense multitude 

 besieged the door of the courtroom, but the authorities 

 had taken measures to prevent disorder. The accused is 

 introduced. He is pale. His eyes are black, but dull 

 His manner, although decent, has no elegance. He re 

 plies with composure to the usual questions. The accu- 

 sation being read, the Judge demands what the prisoner 

 has to say in his defense. The wolf rises. 'I am innocent 

 of the crime of which I am accused. I acknowledge that 

 I have the unfortunate habit of killing sheep ; but in 

 doing so T consult less my inclinations and appetite than 

 my hatred of men. If I experience pleasure in killing n 

 lamb, it is because it robs our common oppressors of a 

 portion of their wealth. For a long time I have entertained 

 milder sentiments without relaxing in my hatred of man. 

 Judge then of my indignation when, the other day, I saw 

 the unfortunate creatures, of whose death I am accused, 

 followed by a butcher who struck them without pity. I ran 

 to their aid. The cruel wretch took flight, and it was at 

 the moment that I stooped to draw out the knife and dress 

 the wounds of his victims that the emissaries of the law 

 made me prisoners. I propose to attack them later in a 

 suit for false imprisonment. At present I content myself 

 with protesting my innocence.' The accused re-seated 

 himself and put his paw to his eyes." 



We can not follow the eloquent reporter through the 

 entire account of the trial. The ingenious plea of the 

 wolt did not save his life, although it drew teais Irnm all 

 the ladies present, who looked upon him as an interestmg 

 victim. But the jury were more hard-hearted, and 

 brought him in guilty of murder. He was condemned 

 and executed according to law, protesting his innocence 

 to the last. 



