Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-02-06
GUILTY, BUT DRUNK.
MARBLES STORY OF THE. GEORGIA JupG


p MARBLES STORY OF THE GEORGIA JUDGE
Not of a few of our readers, West and
South, who had the pleasure of an ac-
quaintance, with Dan Marble, will re-
eognize the irresistible story, be used to
l"tell" of the stolen spoons and the Geor-
gia Judge. Colonel. Bradbury, wo be-
lieve, once dressed up the joke and set it
a going, and partially in that guise
we give it place in the annals Of the.
comedian. '',,.'.- -'..-.'r -
Many years ago. while the State of
Georgia was yet in its infancy, an ecen-
trio creature, named Brown, was one of
the Circuit Judges. He was man of
ability, Of inflexible integrity, and much
beloved and respected by all the legal pro.
fession, but he had one fault. > His social
qualities would lead him, despite his
Judgment, into frequent excesscs. In
travelling the Circuit, it was his almost
invariable habit, the night before opening
the Court, to get comfortably corned, =
by means of applications common upon
such occasions. If he couldn't succeed
while operating upon his own hook, the
gentlemen of the law would generally
turn in and help him.
1T was in the spring of the wear,
taking wife-a model of a woman in her
way-in the old fashioned, but strong.
"carryall," /" he journeyed some forty
miles, and reached the village where the
''court" was to be opened next day. It
was along in the evening of Sunday that
he arrived at the place, and took up his
quarters with a relation of his "better
half" by whom the presence of the official
dignity was considered singular honor.
After supper, Judge Brown strolled over
to the only tavern in the town, where he
found many old friends, called to the place
like himself, on important professional
business, and who were proper glad to
meet him." "-"- -.
Gentlemen. said the Judge. "'tis
quite long time since we have .enjoyed
glass togethec--let us take a horn all
around" s- .-.:.... ..--.f...
i "0f course, Sterritt.''. addressing the
landlord .nyou have better liquor than YOU
had the last time we were here-the stuff
you had then was unfit to give a dog
Sterritt, who had charge of the house,
pretended that every thing was right, and
so they went to work. 1t is unnecessary
to enlarge upon drinking about in
country tavern-it will quite answer our
purpose to state that somewhere in the
region of midnight, the Judge wended his
very devious way toward his temporary
home. About the time hewas leaving how.
ever, some young barristers, fond of a
practical joke, and not much afraid of the
bench, transferred all the silver spoons of
Sterritt into the Judges pocket.
1t was eight O'Clock on Monday MORN
ing that the Jud sc rose. Having indulg-
ed in the process of ablution and abster-
ton, and partaken of cheerful and re-
freshing breakfast, he went to his room
to prepare for the duties of the day. y
''Well, Polly" said he to his wife. 81
feel much better than expected to feel
after the frolic of last night.n 90.
"'''Ah, Judge. said she, reproachfully.
you are getting too old-you ought to
leave off that business. nOw."
70 "Ah, Polly, what's the use of talk
ing?''' ...,.. - - - %
: 1t was at this precise instant of time
that the Judge, having put on his over
coat, was proceeding, according to his
usual custom, to give his wife a parting
kiss, that he happened to thrust his hand
into his pocket, and laid hold of: Sterritt's
spoons. He pulled them out. With an
expression of horror almost indescriba-
Bile, he exclaimed ..< ...s .a
:. "My Cod Polly'"' ' 500 asz :.
"What on earth the matter, Judge an
''Just look at these spoons - ,..,,tl
Dear me, whered you get them 2"
''Get them! Don't you see the initials
on them !"' extending them towards her.
Il stole them g .,.0...,@... ..,.
''Stole them, Judge z" 81. -.
Eyes, stole there !"-. .......
"My dear husband, it can t be possible;
from whom!' -, -,
From SterTitt, over them"
''' ''Good Heaven! how did it happen 2"
81 know very well, PollyAI was very
drunk when / came home, wasn'tI?
why, Judge, you know your old /
habit when you get among those lawyers.
but l was very drunk !'-".F
eyes, you was. - - - u, -'' .. '..'
''Was l remarkably so when I got
home, Mrs. Brown .,...... = .s
''Yes, Judge, drunk as fool, and forty
times as stupid" } i.-' -. "'.
II thought so,' said the Judge, drop
ping into a chair in extreme despcndency
ID knew it would come to that at last.
[ have always thought something would
happen to me-that Iwould do something
very wrong-kill somebody in moment
of passion, perhaps-but l never ina
gined thatI should be mean enough to be
guilty Of deliberate larceny.n.
'.But there may be some mistake,
Judge" sraa =. 1., ar :, -. = --'5'
. ''No mistake, Polly Ikrew very well
how it came about. Thefellow, Sterritt.
keeps the meanest sort of liquor, and
always has-liqpor mean enough to make
a man steal, aud now l have practical
illustrations of the fact. y And the old
q 1v|f<> 49, i