The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1859-08-10

meaning " dc you own hor'e 7"
"N al, l rather calkilate how I do,
Squire" he answered.
And did you know that your horse
had destroyed more than half my wheat p
"Jc-ru.sa em ! yew don't say so,
Squire" exclaimed Joe in terror.
I" 1t Is fact, sir; and you may settle
it or suffer the consequences.
"But, Squire, Ireally can't believe it,
my boss is such quiet critter."
"Are you willing to settle it 2" cried
the captain madly.
but, Square, really, l couldn't pay
ye nothin' sartin."
Then you will pay somebody else,
You know YER" well that your horse has
been in the field"
Il couldn't swear that be hadn't
that's fact"
That's enough"
With that the captain walked of He
went to one OF the assessors. from whom
he learned that Joe owned some two or
three hundred dollars worth of properly.
and then he went to lawyer and hid
Joe Basset sued, setting the damages at
one hundred dollars. The lawyer sent Joe
letter, but the old man refused to take
any notice OF II. The care was carried
into court, Capt. 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, for whispers had gone abroad
that Joe had got the best of it. Finally
the case was called up. and Lober's coun.
sci made statement of the case which
had led to the suit, enlarging upon the
damage which had been done to his clients
property, and explaining how little the
transgressor seemed to care for it.
What is the defence 2"
Nobody seemed TO know.
lis the defendent in court r.
All eyes were turned upon Joe, and he
arose.
"Are you the defendent in this case 2"
asked the court.
"Me?" said Joe, with vacant stare.
"Yes-you.
He is, your honor" answered Lober's
counsel
Have you got counsel sir r. the
Judge resumed.
"Not's knows on" replied Joe, with
a stupid and half wicked look.
You are probably aware Of the reason
why you have been called, pursued the
Court, seeming to pity the mans foolish.
ness.
a. s'pose it's for some kind of com.
plant as Capt. Lober's been making"
"Exactly," said Lober's counsel
Your horse has destroyed much property
belonging to my client"
"Guess not, Squire" returned Joe
"cause that's impossible. My boss could
not do no such thing"
"What do you mean BY that ?"
why, I hain't got no horse as is ca
pable OF doing so much mischief"
"You own horse 2"
Why"
ave want noue of your schys. 70,
own horse ?"
:" But / want tie explain. Capt. Lobe
he came to me biin over with wrath
and axed me did l own boss, and l toll
him yes. Then be billed over more, mad
lots of threats and wen, of in heap o
passion afore could explain"
But do you deny that your horse wa
in my clients's 6eld2"
1t couldn't been there unless some
body put it there"
| r" That's not the thing. Do you den
that your horse did the damage p
"Sqrtin do
Yours is white horsef"
Rather yallerish cast, Square"
And poor and old p
"a leetle shaky. think"
"Then how do you know it was no
| your horse that di1 the damagef'
That's just the pint was to explai
SIR" answered Joe with imperturbabl
gravity.
"Ef anybody axed me this afore
come up here ! should a told em all abcu
It. The fact IL, Squire, never owne
hut one hoss in my lie, and never expec
to. and that ere is sau-ho1~."
The Court smiled and hid its face b.
hind book. the Captaio's counsel lookin
very blank, ami the Captain himself turI
ed very red and pale BY turns In th
meantime The spsstssss cane nigh spli