Panola, an electronic edition

"The woman I knew lived in--," replied Morgan. "She was brought before me on a charge of lunacy, a charge preferred by her own husband; but she came into court in her riding-habit, and stood up coolly in the box, tapping her little boot with her whip while the indictment was being read against her, and then, refusing the aid of any lawyer, she defended herself most eloquently. It was impossible to send her to an asylum. The jury gave the verdict in her favor without quitting their seats. Shortly after, the husband died, and she removed from the State. After her departure I heard a good many queer things about her, which rather puzzled me. She certainly was strange, and extremely cruel, I heard, to those in her power; one of her slaves hung herself to escape from the tyranny and, some said, the torturing of her mistress. I don't know how true the facts were, but they were dreadful; and if the woman was not insane, she was so wicked | | 86 she should have been killed as one would destroy a noxious beast or reptile. They said she poisoned her husband, as well as other people. However, it was long ago, and Mrs. Coolidge is probably dead before this--"