The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-08-23
uow WIDDER wESTBROOK TOOK THE
SHERIFF.

threw me into the company, Tor long oay
,,de through dreary pine wood country IN
an eastern county, with Mr. Stubbs, It's sheriff
By the middle Of the afternoon. we had ex-
hsusted. as subjects of conversation, the par
bcaar attachment case which brought US To-
,..her, the political condition OF the country,
he prospects of the growing crop and sever
Lmatters Of personal history. In fact we had
m out-to use trite but expressive meta
Dbor-when suddenly Mr.. Stubbs' eye flash
d, and strange smile fluttereJ across his lip,
~ be remarked:
II havn't told you, squire, believe how
got ruinated servln' the first process (ths sher-
III was not a learned man, and occasionally
did misplace the accent) that ever came into
nv hands"
NO; let's have it." replied. turning half
round in the saddle: "It cost you some money,
ddit-your mistake"
"Ah," he CALCULATED with asigh, "it cost
aheapP'
This was said with the air Of much suffer
ing and l told him. if it awakened painful
emotions. he must not think of opening the
old wound, merely for my entertainment
ats all over now" said he "and l don't
mind tellin' it," | don't know how it was,
lust as this moment 1 caught sight of a shabby
fold Of Grape around his hat. and l could not
help assocating it with the sigh. lugrubrlous
expression, and the '.sarvin of the first pro-
cess Anent that, we shall discover some
thing presently.
Mr.. Stubbs proceeded.
III was 'lected the first sheriff of the coun-
iy and at that time. there warn't NOR three
or four hundred votes in it. To be sure was
right Imoud--it was such an honor like
This Is your second term. them"
"Ies l had to miss one term of service,
on account of the law but then l was deputy
deputy under Stokes. and when his time run
out, two years ago. was elected again. But
tnat amt tellin' how got ruinated by tina,
writ Now it's reasonable to suppose that
the first Of a thing amt as easy TO know as the
middle or the last. So when the lawyer down
at town made out the paper and put 1t in my
hands, was Just as bad onplussed as ever you
see"
"Wha. sort of writ was it,"
"Nothn' but the common sort. (cdpids
res; l know 'em now like book. Ef had
only knowd EN- them" Here another deep
drawn sigh supplied the place of words.
IL took the plaguy thing home, and called
in Bill Stokes (which was sheriff himself at
ter that, and old Squire Lumkin to counse
me on it, We read it over three or fou
times. 1t ordered me to take the body o
Hannah Westbrook, eff 10 be found in my
county, and her safely TO Keep so that shoulo
have her to answer before the Judge at the
next Circuit. for a debt she owed; and NOR L
that. it said | was to do il without delay-and
twas nigh on to Eve months till COURT Wha
was | to do with her all that time, and nc
sign Of Jail in that county,
well il was hard looking case. but tha
was simply form. and the writ might hav,
been served BY leaving a copy with the lady
'Oh, know that mighty well no,c. but
did nj know it them Beside. at the bottom
OF the paper was writ 'Vo Bail and | know
now that them words mean no bail required
but thought then 1t meant that eft she wa
TO offer the best security in the States. | warn
Ss"aSs "'sa a.as,raru uosh pun upon II, ant
the old squire went so far as 10 say. ef he wa
snsrin. he'd take that woman and carry he
nome and lock her up in the small room will
himself and his wife, every night until cour
came around"
That would have made it pretty safe
es SAID Stubbs; "but | knowed tha
would nj SUIT me- for my wife THAT was then
was hiSh tempered, and never could bea
strange people IN the ROOM But houeva,
alter counselhn'. got Stokes to 90 with ~,
and | went up 10 the widder. and told ba- ~,
business. She was mighty bad scared
INST, but when she got over that, she ra'ar.
and pitched. l should jist gin ou, aud CON
home and resigned, but Stokes quoted bs
saying we could put her in Jail, but ef 81
behaved herself, we'd only take her down
my house and let her stay Till court. The
she turned into crying and beggin' me
Hke her niger woman and keep her for Serl
MY tor the debt which was only somethin
over over hundred dollars. and the nigger ".
hheiy-But looked in my paper and res
& eu, to her-to take tAs body Of Hama
b.ssbrooki
she said she'd go, and she had the ol
roam saidied up. aud while Stokes and N
We're t,ikin' aud not noticin', she mounte
nun and started off in lively canter. on n
ueorgia end OF the trail We mounted an
sahoped aiier her. aud she hadn't got ba
male before We had her. Then she erie
ana begged again. We put a plough br
around her waist and held the end. and AFT.
S'''n her give some directions to her nippe