The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-08-15
How widow Westbrook took the Sheriff

threw me into the company, for long days
ride, thro' a dreary plnewood country in an
eastern county, with Mr. Stubbs, its sheriff. By
the middle of the afternoon we had exhausted
as subjects of conversation, the particular at
tachment case which brought us together, the
political condition Of the country, the prospects
of the growing crop, and several matters of
personal history. In fact, we had run QUITO
US trite but expressive mataphor-wben sud
denly Mr.. Stubbs eye flashed and a strange
smile futtered across his lip as he remarked
Il havn't told you, squire believe, how
got ruinated servin' the first process the sher-
iff was not learned man, and occasionally did
misplace the accent) that ever came into my
hands,
''No, let's have it, replied turning half
round in the saddle, ''it cost you some money,
did it-your mistaken
"Ah,' he calculated with sigh, ''it cost
heap-a heap?''
This was said with the air of much suffering,
and told him ifit awakened painful emotions,
he must not think of opening the old wound
merely for my entertainment.
cts all over now,' he said, cand I don't
mind tellin' ito l don't know how it was, but
just at this moment caught sight of shabby
fold Of Grape around his hat, and l could not
help associatingi it with the sign, the lugubrous
expression and the ''sarvn of the first process"
About that, we shall discover something pre-
sently.
Mr.. Stubbs proceeded.
Il was lected the first sheriff of the coun-
try, and at that time there weren't more'n three
OF four hundred voters in it, To be sure. I
was right proud-it was sich an honor like
''This is your second term, them
Eyes, | had to miss one term of service on
account of the law, but then I was debity
(deputy, under Stokes, and when his tiHe run
out last August was two years ago. Twas cleo
ted again. But that amt tellin' how got
ruined by that writ. Now its reasonable to
suppose, that the first of thing amt as easy
to know as the middle or the last. So when
the lawyer down at town made out the first
paper and it in my hands, was jist as bad
omplussed as ever you see."
"What sort of writ was it?''
"Nothln' but the common sort, CAP pias res,
| know 'em now, like book If | had only
Enowed 'em then-here another deep drawn
sigh supplied the place of words.
Il took the plauguy thing home, and I
called in Bill Stokes (Which was sheriff himself
after that, and old squire Lumpkin to counsel
me on it.. We read it over three or four times.
1t ordered me to take the body of Hannah
Westbrooll, if to be found in my county, and
her safel y to keep, so that should have her to
answer before the judge at the next circuit for
a debt she owed, and moren'n that, it said l
was to do so without delay-and it was then
nigh on to five months till court! What was |
to do with her all that time, and no sign of Jail
in the county?
"Well, it was hard looking case, but that
was simply form, and the writ might have
been served by leaving copy with the lady"
ooh, l know that mighty we'll now, but |
didn't know it then. Besides at the bottom of
the paper was writ 'No Ball. and know now
that them words mean no bal! required, but [
thought then it meant that if she was to offer
the best security in the state, | warn't to take
it. And it was the consideration, that Stokes
and Lumpkin both put upon it, and the old
squire went SO far as to say, if he was sheriff,
he'd take that woman and carry her home and
lock her up in the small room with himself and
his wife, every night Of his life, ontell court
come around.'
"That would have made it pretty safe"
EYES," said Stubbs, 'but I knowed that
wouldn't suit me, for my wife (that was then
was high tempered, and never could bear
strange people in the room. But, however,
after councelling, I got Stokes to go with me
up to the widder, and told her my business.
She was mighty bad scared at first, but when
she got over that, she r'ared and pitched. |
should jist a gin out and gone home and re-
signed, but Stokes quieted her. sayin' we could
put her in Jail, but if she behaved herself, we'd
only take her down to my house and let her
stay till court. Then she turned into cryln'
and beggin' me to take her nigger woman and
keep her for security for the debt which was
only something over hundred dollars, and the
niger was likely. But I looked in my paper
and read it out to her-to take the body of
Hannah Westbrookl''
She said she'd go, and she had the old roam
horse saddled up, and while Stokes and me
were talkn' andnot noticing,' she mounted him
and started off in a live y canter, on the Geor-
gia end of the trail. We mounted and galoped
after her, and she hadn't got half mile be-
fore we had her. Then she cried and begged
again but we put plow line around her waist
and held the end, after lettin' her give some
directions to her nigger, we took her downt to my
houoe. MY VIE tfealeu Hcl ulSbty ClNil, anu
every day two we'd let he: go up home and
look after her consarns. So time rolled on till
about month before court, and one day
Stokes rid up to the gate in powerful hurry,
and called me out.''
"You've played thunder said he.''
"How?" said I.
eWhy, think of Mrs. Westbrook? Its all
wrong, and she's sent down word to the very
lawyer that put out that writ against her and's
got two against you, one to make you turn her
loose, and another to make you pay twenty
thousand dollars for taking her!''
Il shant serve 'em,'' says l.
*Makes no odds. They've done appointed
a kurriner Coroner, and he'll be up tomorrow
soon as Mrs Westbrook has had chance to
sware to somethin.' You'd better look outP'
"Well, says I, recon they've got you, too.
You was along, and help to do it,
ooh, yes" says he butthey've got me for a
Witness!'
Il said no more, but walked right into the
house, and there found the widder lookin'
mighty pleased, and | told her she was free to
90 and asked her pardon said T shouldn't