Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-10-10
8 e q s i.
ABEL HUCKs IN A TIGHT PLACE


MONROE, UNION Co., NC,
July, 4th. 1881.
Master Porter-I wishes to lay a case
before you that / thinks is hard. You
see ! was born a poor man, and luck
has been agin me ever sense l was born
and what's worse, the law has been agin
me too. mout have stole several
times, and not been found out, but that's
agin my principles. / don't see how
them as gifts rich by stealing can enjoy
their riches-I couldn't do it, and so |
couldn't steal. / mout have logged
and loafed about as some does, but Pm
above that, too for had suffered some
in this world aud ! allows | suffer some
more before I'll either steal or lug, But
that's not TO the pint-or rather to the
halfpint for the worse pint in my case
was a half pint to beeip with. l. spose
l had drunk about thatquantity Of the ar
dent, when who should come along but
"Foorty foot Hooston.' Now, Mr.. H., it
so happens that / am a Low man in INCH
es, and / can't bear for one Of those tall
fellows 10 be looking oyer my head at
something beyond me. Ses 1:
"Mr. Houston, look some other course.
SEES he: whats the matter Hucks? =
SesI;I don't want you to be stan.
din thar a looking over my head"
"Why,' says he "Hucks, you are q
foolw
That was enuff; l had alters wanted
to hit a tall man, and 'Forty-foot' wa:
the highest l had ever seen. So / goe'
up and iags him in the short ribs. Sc
he:
'Quit Hucks You are "a fool =
Well, upon that digs into him agin
Well, then at last, Mister Houston get
mad, and takes me by the W arms, an
gives me a shake that made my teet
chatter and my eyes strike fire, and h
hands mo over the fence to a constable
and he takes me down to Sabett's eros
roads, where the Court was held In
masheen ~machine] house, and Lawye
'Joolus' was employed to defend me-
He is a mighty good harted man, Joolu
is, and so is Judge Battle that tried m
but there was no change for me to g
of, and so I'fesses guilty, and JoolI
turns into beggin' the Judge. He sai
] was a poor unfortunate man, with 81
children, and a little given TO liker, ar
there was no Jail higher than Chariot
and it would lever do TO send me to ia
Has you got any stocks here !? s
the Judge TO the Sheriff.
No sur ses. the Sheriff, { this is Il
second Court we held in the county
Union, and we amt rcddy with su
things yet
Well, / felt a bit ofrelief when l hea
the Sheriff anser, and the Judge look
down at a piece Of paper, and then
says
MIR. Clerk, record the judgment
the Court: Lex Mr.. Hucks, be conf
ed in the stocks for one hour. And, So
he, : Mr.. Sheriff, you can come as n
as possible TO executing the judgem'
OF the Court
How is that?' says Joolus, fam
up and looking wrathy at the Judge
Your honor don't mean to inaict Z
unsual Punishment?
"Oh, MOI says the Judge, latin "
mode of carrying out the sentence is
TO the Sheriff.
And then all the lawyerslaft, but J
lus-and some said fence J0otUS,' and
he got madden still, and says: 9
Sheriff, / dare you to do that!
And so they took me out Of the Co
House on a general laff, and as the
yers came along to dinner, thar Twas
ing with both legs through the crack
rail fence, and some fellers setting
the fence making sport of me
And l heard that overlooking fe
Ham JONES' say Joolus, look at }
clientP
And then l thought Joolus would /
tainted. He turned TO the Judge,
be says: . My God, Judge! never
a client in such a fix before !!
And the judge and all of them
yers laughed out. But l felt hurt
feelings was hurt as well as my leg
/ don't know whether or not you al
lawyer, but | wantto know whethe
is accordin' to the American Cons
ton, TO put a fellers legs through a
fence because they have'tn got ST
IN a new county. want TO know,
for eff that be according to the cons
ton, I'll go across the line to South
DINA and help to make a new cons
ton
Yours TO command,
ABEL HUCK
An Irish gentleman, residing in Ca