The prairie news., 1858-12-09

He COuIty Vi, away uP HI o"o
mountains" boasts of one of the best
Judges in California. On the bench he is
firm, decided and prompt, caring the snap
of his finger for neither the applause of
friends or the mutterings of enemies
He is, perhaps, the most devoted man to
the law in all creation, and has his head
so full of what he terms judicial talk"
that he not unfrequently finds himself
making learned charges and passing SEN
tence outside of the courtroom.
On recent occasion the judge was
called on to exercise the "power and
authority in him vested" in the case of
young couple who desired to have their
hearts united in the holy band of we'd
lock. Of course he consented to perform
the pleasing duty, and on the appointed
evening was promptly on hand at the
house at which the affair was to come
off. The room was crowded by the
beauty and fashion of the town, and none
looked more dignifed or happy than the
Judge himself, who was dressed within an
inch of his life.
1t is customary on occasions of the
kind referred to, for the good folks OF the
mountain towns to pass around the vine
quite freely, and to their everlasting
credit, we will add, they consider it no
harm for one to manifest his in
terest in the joyous.event by getting
lively" The Judge is an ardent ad-
mirer of the fair sex, having in the course
of his life led the third one to the altar.
To use his own language, he is great
believer in weddings" and that he
should get little mellow amid the glorl-.
Gus scene of the evening, was not to be
wondered at by those who knew him in
timatelv. He had the weakness OF all
good judges. He would take his tod.
The wine had passed round and round
round. The music had ceased. The
time for making Joseph Bowers and
Nancy Herkens one had arrived Every
heart throbbed with the most delightful
emotions The young gentlemen desired
to know how "Joe" would stand it, and
the young ladies were anxious to see
how !" Nance" would suffer the anxious
shock. Others again, vino had closely
observed the turn of affairs during the
evening, fixed their attention upon the
Judge to see how he would come out OF
the scrape.
At length the trying moment was an
nounced, the judge arose very cautiously
, from The chair, which he had occupied III
f one corner of the room, and casting his
eve over the company, he singled out
the sheriff of the county, who was pres
ent as an invited guest The judge had
, imbibed just enough to make him forget
the nature of his business. He was full
of his "iudcial talk and required moth
ing but the presence of the sheriff to start
, him. Looking sternly at the officer he
, shouted: :,
"Mr. Sheriff open the court and call
order"
/ A general litter followed this COM
mand in the midst of which the sheriff
took the court" gently by the arm, and
led him to his seat in the corner, at the
|, same time informing the august person
age of the mistake.
+ Everything now bid fair for apleasent
and sudden termination of the affair, until
another annoyance, which was nothing
less than the absence of the bridegroom
| was observed. 1t turned out he had just
& stepped across the street to join M
friends in a parting drink, but before bis
/ return some cold-blooded wag had whls
pered in the car of our fogy the cause o
) !" delay in the proceedings" Instantly
h the chair in the corner moved, and in
t that direction all eyes were fixed.
! "Mr. Sheriff. slowly bawled thejudge
"bring Joe into the court on supenar'
the Judge had his own way of pro
d nouncing the word-then addressing th'
e bride who stood in the foreground, an,
hung her head in deep confusion, he ad
/; ded: "I 'spose you are the plaintiff
J. Well, don't take on. Innocence an
e virtue will be protected by this her
Ie court"
;: This was the saddest blunder of ALL
e The Judge was again made to see hl
a mistake, and would have been considera
Is blv set back, had it not been for col
ic rective in the shape of " forty drops {
,e the critter," which he instantly applied,
" In few moments all was ready !
is right down earnest. The bridegroom
he had arrived full Of joy. The compan
,k pressed forward. The excitement wa
most intense evidently felt every inc
judge.
i. aJ-J.o-e- B.B-B-o-w-e-r-s," commend
as ed the man of law, in that distressin
II style of speech with which he was inv
in riably troubled when under the infiuent
pn of liquor; J-J-o-e Bowers, stand u
ht Have y-y-you anything to s-s-say Wv
. W. why s-s-sent-tence--"
ed "Stop, stop, stop, judge" shouted I'll
sheriff from the back part Of the room.-