These were the scenes which attended the rendition of the Dora
McDonald verdict:
"Bring in the jury," said Judge Brentano, as he dropped into the big
leather-upholstered chair behind the bench.
Bradley was waiting for the word at the door to the Judge's right.
Looking very solemn and sphinx-like, the twelve men filed in and took
their usual places.
At the same time Mrs. McDonald came through the corridor from the
custodian's room, accompanied by her nurse, Miss A. K. Beck. Miss Beck
was trembling, but there was not a tremor in Mrs. McDonald's hands or
a movement of the facial muscles to indicate that she felt the least
excitement.
Attorney Norden pulled out her armchair for her and pushed it under
her again as she sat down. Every man in the courtroom felt a choke in
his throat, but if Mrs. McDonald felt it she gave no evidence of it.
"Gentlemen," said the judge, turning toward the jury, "have you agreed
upon a verdict?"
At first there was no answer, and the judge had to repeat the
question. That interval was like a lapse of a week or a month.
Mrs. McDonald, who had not been asked to rise, sat facing the jury and
looking straight at them. She considered it only polite to keep awake
and to forego those beloved "dreams" of hers in honor of the verdict,
whatever it might be.