The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1858-10-27
ncle Joe in court.
Joe Besset was a queer penius-s.unele Joe >

!
everybody called him-one possessing but very
few of the goods of this world, yet he was one
of the most useful men in town. If any one
wanted a job of work done, he was just :he one
to do it. In short, he was the universal "man
Friday" and for consideration, he would
perform any kind of work which might be
called for. He was a happy old fellow, and as
full of fun as an egg was full of meat and he
would crack some hard jokes without hurting
anybody. He owned little hut over back Of
the village, to which was attached few acres
of good land; and besides this he had COW,
and some other items of stock. He lived quite
comfortably, and the impression had gone
abroad that he had managed TO lay up some
money.
Capt Daniel Lober, who had recently settled
in the town, owned a fine piece of land adjoin-
ing uncle Joe's lot, and he was not long in
making himself very disagreeable to our man
Friday. He was proud, selfish, and a little
mean, wthal. Uncle Joe had some geese, and
they ran upon Lober's land; upon which the
indignant captain threatened to shoot them if
he caught them there again. ...-,
"Ef ye'd make yer fence tighter they would
not get through meekly suggested uncle Joe.
MY fence is as tight as the law requires"
returned the doughty captain; and with that he
walked away. ~. ..-.
So uncle Joe had to 60 to work and tighten
the fence, and put large yokes on his geese.
Lober's next movement was against Joe's
hens. He swore he woul d shoot them if they
were not kept off his lot. Joe built hen house
and put his feathered breeds therein, but it was
sore trial to him, and the people sympathized
with him, though they could not help him.
One season, Capt. Lober ploughed up bis lot
some ten acres of it, and sowed it with wheat.
The grain bad come on finely, and the owner
used to take men out there to show them his
grain. 1t was acknowledged to be the best
piece of wheat in town. But the captain was
destined to some i'll fortune he had not thought
of. This land was at some distance from his
dwelling, and when he was busy at other points,
a week or two might pass without his visiting
it. One afternoon he came to see his wheat,
and when he reached the ed ge of the field he
stood aghast at the sight which met his gaze.
The tall stout grain was trodden and trampled
down over half the lot, presenting scene of
havoc and destruction truly horrible to behold.
And the astonished owner was at no loss to
account for the desolation, for near the center
heavy built animal, of dingy white color, and
although evidently stricken in years, yet he
capered and frisked about with marvellous
spirit, cropping few well filled wheat heads
and anon trampling on the beautiful grain as
| though he were treading the wine vat.
| | should not dare tell all the oaths which
| Capt. Lober then and there poured forth; but
| they were terrible ones, and the white foam was
on his lips as he raved. As soon as he could
collect his thoughts, he started for uncle Joe's
He knew that Joe must have seen the horse in
there, for the animal must haye been three or
four days at work-and perhaps the depredator
belonged to Joe. just as the captain reached
the road, he met Sam Warner. Sam was not
temperance man, nor did he belong to the
church; but was a particular friend of uncle
Joe's, and didn't think much of Daniel Lober
"Mr. Warner cried the captain, trembling
with rage, "does Joe Besset own horse?"
"Yaa-s, believe he does, squire, returned
Sam.
"Is it a white one?''
'Kind O. whitish."
"How old is it?'' .
oval, 'taint very old nor very young-bu
it's kind O. shaky round the knees"
Captain Lober posted off to uncle Joe's col
and found the old fellow about the premises.
"Mr. Basset," he said with an awful mean
ing, ''do you own a horse?"
"Wal l rather calkilate how I do, squire, u
he answered.
"And did you know that your horse hac
destroyed more than half my wheat?''
"Je-ru-sa yew don't say SO, squire" ex
claimed Joe, in terror.
"It is fact, sir; and you may settle it o.
suffer the consequences"
"But, squire, l really can't belieyeit; my hos:
is such quiet critter.'
care you willing to settle it?" cried the
captain msdly.
"But, squire, rally, couldn't pay ye moth
in'-sartin I couldn't"
"Then you will pay somebody else. You
know, very well, that your horse has been r
the field" - =- .--.f. .. . .". .5
Il couldn't swear that he hadn't-that's a
fact''
"ThaL's enough
With that the captain walked off. He wen
to one of the assessors, from whom he learned
that Joe owned some two or three hundred dol
lars worth of property, and then he went to 6
lawyer and had Joe Besset sued setting the
damages at one hundred dollars. The lawyer
scnt Joe letter, bus the old man refused te
take any notice of it. The case was carried into
court-captain Lober having sworn that he
would push Joe to the last extremity.
The court was in session, and the day for the
| trial arrived. The room was crowded, fol
whispers had gone abroad that Joe had got the
best of it. Finally the case was called up, anc
Lober's counsel made statement of the case
which had led to the suit, enlarging upon the
damage which had been done to his client:
property, and explaining how little the trans
gressor seemed to care for it. a.:
.'Where is the defence?"
Nobody seemed to know. q. .-. "
'ls the defendant in court?''
| All eyes were turned en- Joe, and he arose.
s'Are you the defendant in this case?" asked
the court. .M.Eg
"Me?" said Joe, with vacant stare.
"Yes-You."
t'He is;a=your honor,' answered Lober's
counsel g..
"Have you got counsel, sir?" the judge re-
sumed.
''Not's knows on, replied Joe, with hall