The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-04-12

Inc following appeared among the
Arkansas scorrespondeceofth the New Orleans
Pcayune some twelve years ago. 1t was
written from Napoleon:
DEAR PIc:-I arrived here last night
and am anxiously expecting the packet
steamer for Little Rock, and among the
items Of the day, you must pardon me for
noticing circumstance which occurred
here this morning. A man unknown in
these "diggings" STEPPED into store and
purchased pair of boots, the price OF
which was 81, and he handec.the merchant
q counterfeit $40 bill The merchant
stepped out and changed the bill and
handed the strange the change, and in a
few minutes this worthey disappeared
Soon after the bill was discovered to be a
counterfeit, and the merchant had to give
in lien Of the spurious note, good SO bill.
The question then arose among the
savans of Nepoleon. how much did, the
vehder lose Some said $l7, some $50 and
some - and the discussion on the
subject 46came boisterous, and general
confusion. cursiug, drinking and betting
enaiaed. We hsd several 6sficufIs, bat III
this ~ settle the vexed question Of
the 1eYs lDss on the boots. At length
an ID gray headed :. bar hunter" who
had lost an eye in fight with panther.
and who had learned to cipher in "Pikes
was called upon to decide so grave a
question and about this time pretty fight
canae of in which the old man foored one
or Two with his old whisky bottle.
The Squire" raised the "Stars and
Stripes, and commanded the peace in the
name of the State of Arkansas, and the
Government IN general. Peace was re-
stored, and the whole question was referred
to committee or court, composed OF two
schoolmasters and a dancing master, and
themost prominent member Of this tribune
bench was a rollickIng, staggering chap
they called ToN, who was principal of the
high school Alligator Bayou, as he said
:" in them thar diggings."
The court was regularly announced to be
in session, and here Tow delivered quite a
lecture on Temperance, betting, drinking
and fighting, and laid particular stress
upon the necessity of educating the rising
generation, that it would prevent similar
difficulties. for, if SMITHS arithmetic had
been understood, the present case of the
boots would not have caused so much
bloodshead in the peaceab!e and happy
country Here ToA dropped few tears,
and the balance of the court responded.
The case was here fully stated, and argued
ON both sides, and simpliiied by putting
an old pair of boots on the table with $40
and the regular changing made, and was
submitted to the decision Of the court
Ton, the spokesman of the court, then said:
"Gentlemen and fellow citizens, this is
an extraordinary case, and one which,
when first presented to the mind, Is simple
and requires but little reflection but. on
mature consideration, II does require a
legal mind and of good training TO encom-
pass compound question, and the one
before the court Is truly one, and so recog-
nized by the laws OF England. But fellow
citizens, having studied the laws, il affords
me qualification to say ! can solve the
question of the boots so clearly 10 your
minds, that you viii be astonished atyour
own ignorance, and that in future you will
send your children to my school
.' Opinion-Gentlcman u Is nner-
chant, and you, Mr. r, want a pair of
the store, and YOU say III take them thar
boots-here is $40 bill, give me the
change Mr.. B goes out ana soon brings
YOU die change. So Mr. B. has to redeem
,hc Ssfs fr,r :. =4a,,,isnr,s Ven haye got
the boots and the So, and are gone. Well,
fellow citizens, according TO the balance OF
trade, among the great mercantile nations
OF the earth, Mr.. b. loses his,boots, 50, and
the good $40 bill, which makes the sum
$50 That is the opinion sustained by the
ablest jurists of the day"
The bets were all given up, the decision
of the court sustained by acclamation, and
the crowed unanimously agreed to support
Ton school, whereupon the court djourn-
ed TO liquor.
The packet arrived about this time, and
left place so smart at figures.