Theresultofthecommittalmaybereadilyforeseen。Mr。Pennifeather，amidtheloudexecrationsofallRattleborough，wasbroughttotrialatthenextcriminalsessions，whenthechainofcircumstantialevidencestrengthenedasitwasbysomeadditionaldamningfacts，whichMr。
Goodfellow’ssensitiveconscientiousnessforbadehimtowithholdfromthecourtwasconsideredsounbrokenandsothoroughlyconclusive，thatthejury，withoutleavingtheirseats，returnedanimmediateverdictof“Guiltyofmurderinthefirstdegree。”Soonafterwardtheunhappywretchreceivedsentenceofdeath，andwasremandedtothecountyjailtoawaittheinexorablevengeanceofthelaw。
Inthemeantime，thenoblebehaviorof“OldCharleyGoodfellow，haddoublyendearedhimtothehonestcitizensoftheborough。Hebecametentimesagreaterfavoritethanever，and，asanaturalresultofthehospitalitywithwhichhewastreated，herelaxed，asitwere，perforce，theextremelyparsimonioushabitswhichhispovertyhadhithertoimpelledhimtoobserve，andveryfrequentlyhadlittlereunionsathisownhouse，whenwitandjollityreignedsupreme-dampenedalittle，ofcourse，bytheoccasionalremembranceoftheuntowardandmelancholyfatewhichimpendedoverthenephewofthelatelamentedbosomfriendofthegeneroushost。
Onefineday，thismagnanimousoldgentlemanwasagreeablysurprisedatthereceiptofthefollowingletter：-
CharlesGoodfellow，Esq。，RattleboroughFromH。F。B。&Co。