The true Democrat., 1856-02-05
NO. r..

Here another deep drawn sigh supplied the place sf words.
 "I took the plaguey thing home, and called Tn Bill Stokes, (which was Sheriff himself af- ter 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 estorook, If to be found in my county, and her safely to Keep so that 1 should have her to answer before the judges of tn. next circuit, for debt she owed; and more'n that. it said was to do 1t without delay-and it was piob on to five months till court! What was I to do with her all that time, and no sign of iail in that cOuntv?'
 "Well 1t was hard-looking case but that was simply a form, and the writ might have been served by leaving copy with the lady,"
 "Oh, l know that very we'll not0, but didn't know 1t then. Beside, at the bottom of the pa- per was writ No bail,'' and I know now that them words mean no 6aI required; but I thought then it meant that if she was to offer the best security in the State, l warn't to take It. And 1t was the construction that Stokes and Lumpkln both put on it; and the old squire went so far as to say, eff 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 until court came around" "That would have made it pretty safe., "Yes" said StubbS; ''but I knowed that wouldn't suit me, for my wife Chat was then) was high tempered, and never could bear strange people in the room. But, however af- ter counSellin,' got Stokes to go with me, and 1 went up to the widder and told my business She was mighty bai scared at first, but when l she got over that, she rared and pitched. 1 should jlst gin out and gone home and resign ed, but Stokes queted her. sayin' we could put her Tn Jall but ef she behaved herself we'd 1 only take her down to my house and let her stay till court. Then she turned into cryin' and be ggglu me to take her nigger woman and keep her for security for the debt, which was only something over one hundred dollars, and l the nigger was likely. But l looked in my | paper and read it out to her-to take the body of Hannah Westbrook.''
 "She said she'd go, and she had the old roan horse saddled up, and while Stokes and me were talkin' and not notcin', she mounted him and started off in a lively canter on the Geor- gia end of the trail. We mounted and gsllop- ed after her, and she hadn't got a half mile before we had her. Then she cried and begged again, but We put a plow-line round her waist and held the end, and after lettin' her give some directions to her ngger, took her down to my house. My wife treated her mighty civil and every day or two we'd let her go up hum and look after her consarns So time rolled on till about month before court, and one day Stokes rode up to the gate in powerful hurry, and called me out"
 "You've played thunder" sad he | "HOw?" said l.
 "Why think of Mrs. Westbrook. It's all wrong and she's sent word down to the very lawyer that put out that writ against her. and he's got two against you; one to make yos turn her loose, and t'otherto make you pay twenty thousand dollars for talin' herb
 q shant serve 'em," says l.
 "Makes no odds. They've done appointed a kurriner, Coroner and he'll be up to-mor- row. soon as Mrs Westbrook has chance to swear to somethiu'. You'd better look out"
 "WeI," said |, II reckon they've got you too. You was along, and helped to do it."
 "Oh, yes,' says he, "but they've got me for a witness!'
 "I said no more, but walked right into the house, and there found the wdder lookin' mighty pleased, and 1 told her she WAS free to go, and asked her pardon, aud shouldn't charge her any board. and I hoped she'd come and see my old woman, and so on and so forth"
 "She went l suppose"
 "She did, and the kurriAer come; and he showed me how to serve writ by copy; shall never forget 1t. She took me into cou,, and there wern't nothn' done first time Before the next court, my old woman died, and that up8ergea everything. What with her dyin and the suit, 1 thought would go crazy to be sure"
 But you didn't?''
 No, 1 bore it as well as I could, and just before court came along the lawyer-J enkins -and said to me, I think you and my client Mrs. Westbrook, could compromise that Case, ef you was to talk together aboutit. l hardly waited for him to leave before jamped on my horse and rode up to the wdders."
 "She sorter laughed and said may be-
 I'd give you a hundred dollars to arop is," said I.
 "She frowned nightly, and sad that warn't the way she wanted to settle it."
 "Ill give you two," said l,
 "She frowned worse than before and said that warn't the way she wanted to settle"
 "Directlv something came right into my mind. It seemed to sec plain. stalie. and considered. Then cleared my throat. 'Wid- der,' says l, 'l0W you hace me2'"
 Says she, ' DW'"
 "I gave that rascal Jenkins fifty dollars for his share-and the widder took ne for h.gs had kept her an onlawful prisoner for nigh four months, but Squire she had me under arrest for mighty uigheeys nv ear5."