Litchfield enquirer., 1843-11-30
ORIGINAL ANECDOTE.

| OnoTtIy after the nrSt republican conStitu.
ton of the State Of New York was framed,
and the judiciary system was established for
lVll departments, the supreme court or that
branch Of it called the circuit court was an.
pointed for one ofthe circuits in the county
of Dutches, and the eccentric Judge Crane
was TO preside. Judge Crane was very
wealthy, and highly respected for his public
and private virtues, especially for his chart
tableness to the poor; but he always appear
ed in plain garb. and would hardly ever
wear an over coat, whatever the weather
might be, and it was seldom that he rode
when he went abroad, although he owned
many valuable horses. On the morning of
the day in which the court was to begin, the
Judge set out before day and walked gently
on, through rain and snow, to the place ap.
pointed. On arriving at Poughkeepsie, cold
and wet. he walked to a tavern, where he
found the landlady and her servants were
making large preparations for the entertain
ment of the judges, lawyers, and other gen.
tlemen. whom they expected would attend
the circuit court.
! The Judge was determined to have some
sport, aud in pleasant tone addressed the
| landlord-I have no money, and was Obliged
to come to court, and l have walked through
this dreadful storm more than twenty miles
l am wet and cold, dry and hungry. want
something to eat before the court begins,
when the landlady put herself in a magis,e-
rial posture, and putting on countenance Of
contemplated to the Judge, you say you are
wet and cold, dry and hot; how can all that
be? No my dear madam, says the Judge,
said that | was wet and cold, and if you had
been out as long as have been in this storm
| think you would likewise be wet and cold.
| said wanted something to drink and eat.
But you have no money you say, retorted
the landlady. ] told you the truth, saws the
Judge, the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth, but were as rich as CrGsus, would
be willing to work for some thing TO eat and
to drink. 'CrRsus, who is CrBsus?' says
the lady. ! never knew him, said the Judge,
but have understood that he was very rich
| want something 10 cat and something to
drink, and were as poor as Job in his Ut.
most calamity, and had my health and
! strength as we'll as now have, | would will.
lingIy go to work a little while, if could only
get something to drink and a bit of good
victuas. Well, old daddy, saws she, how
much do you want to drink Half a gill Of
brandy, madam says he. Very well, SAYS
she, will give you half a gill and some cold
victuals if you will go into the back yard
and cut and split three armtuls of wood, and
bring it into the kitchen, where the servants
want to make good fire to dry the gentle.
mans grca: coats when they come, and after
you get your victuals, l shall want you to
go away. Well, says he, give me the bran
dy, and I'll soon bring the wood. He drank
the liquor and walked quietly into the wood
| yard, where he found good AK and he soon
laid by the kitchen fire the proper quantity
of wood-namely, his arms three times full
| When the landlady had got his cold lunch
con on the table, in hopes that he would eat
and be off-now for the good bite Of vc,uals
says the Judge. There it is, said she, coldly.
half so wet, for see neither tea nor coffee,
nor chocolate. to wet it. Beggars must not
| he choosers, said she. am not begging OF
! you madam, said he but have paid the full
| price demanded. l told you, said she, |
would give you cold victuals, and there is
cold boiled ham,cold pork and beef cold 20.
tatoes and turnips. AMI cold vinegar,pickles,
and soup,and if you want any thing hot,,here
is mustard and pepper, and here is good
bread, good butter and good cheese, and all
good enough for such an old rag muffin as
you are. 1t is all very good, said he pleas.
antly, but madam, be so good as to let me
have some new milk, warm right from the
COW to wet these good vciualS. The cows
are not MIXED, says She Then let me have
a bowl of cold milk, said he. I will not
send the servants in this storm to the spring
house TO skim it for you, said she. Said he
with pleasant smile, dear madam, have a
good wife at hoIAe. older than you are, who
would go out in worse storm than this, to
milk the cows, and bring the milk to the
poorest man on earth. at his request; or 10
bring the milk from the spring house cream
and all 'cithom skimming, to feed the most alb
ject of the human race. You have n very
good wife at home, says she. Indeed have
said he. and she keeps my clothes clean and
whole, and Notwithstanding you call me an
"old ragmuffn,"I am not ashamed to ap-
pear abroad 10 the clothes wear, in any
good company. Well must confess, says
she, that when you have your broad brim.
ed ha; off you look middIing WE'LL but want
you to eat and be off, for we want the fire 10
dry the gentIcmen's great coats and umbrel-
las by; and among the rest we expect Judge
Crane. Judge Crane, says the judge, who is
| Judge Crane! The circuit Judge, one of
the supreme judges, you old fool. ...
Well, says the Judge, will bet goose,
that Judge Crane has not had, and will not
have great coat on his back, or an umbrel-
la over his head this day. You old goose,
said she, care nothing for your bets. Eat
and be off, / tell you Judge Crane is TO be
here,and we've no room for you. don't care
said he, one rye straw more for Judge Crane
than DO tor myself, and it has got to be so
late that if he has TO come at this time of the
day, he would more likely go directly TO the
court house, and stay until dinner time, than
go to any tavern; and if business was very
urgent, he would be very likely to stay a.
way even from dinner. | know something
about the old codger. and some people say
he is rusty ,fusty, crusty old fudge. Pretty
talk indeed, says the landlady, about the su-