The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-03-17

The Verdict. Against j. i.
About forty years ago sad misfortun,
happened to j. J.-he was born. He wa
not aware of it at the time, but it was no
long before he began to realize it. His baby
life was wretched one HIS mothe
"drank." His father was by profession I
blacksmith, whose only recreation was nigh
poaching. The imp,opriety Of this noctur
nal amusement could never be impressed
rpon Mr.. j. senior; bludgeons and butt-end
of guns had been used in the humane en-
deavor to drive The idea into his head bu
his skull was unusually strong, and wi h
stood manfully the forcible entry Of tie idea
Interviews with justices of the peace, ant
arguments from legal gentlemen, had he
more effect upon him he took his imprison.
ments with perfect equaniinity, as matter
of course; but as soon as be "got out' he
reverted to his old practice. '.Game was
game" was his incontrovertible argument
zone chap 'ad as much right to it as another,
was his not equally incontrovertible deduc
ton; and "bloved If they won't preserve
butterflies next" was HIS ironical but vague
conclusion. He was told he would be hang
ed or transported, and he fully believed wha
was told him, hut he expressed his determ:
nation nevertheless to lave his bit o'fun as
well as the best on 'em," and to eat bit O
public victusls now and agen, if he died 70,
it" for nothing conld persuade him that
game was anything but "public victuals. u
1t is hardly necessary, except as ncsnnect
ing link in the story, to observe that Mr. j
seniors friends soon saw their prophecy full
filed, and the man who would eat "publie
victuals" was made public example. of =
The Jolly blacksmith in fact, ION a shiny
night in the season Of the year." got into
serious complications with Mr.. Nom MS (of
Noware HalD gameker pers; and one Of the
latter was immersed in the water tn such an
extent that the whole Humane Society could
not have brought back to him the requisite
amount Of animation; the consequence was,
he expired and Mr.. j. senior put the gov.
ernmont to the expense of sending him
abroad, and finding him in board, lodging,
work and confinement. Mrs. j. was obliged
to remove to uncomfortable apartments at
the workhouse, where, finding the supply of
gin inappreciable, and attainable only by a
smuggling process beyond her abilities, she
fell victim 10 her snfferings, in the thirty.
fifth year Of her age and the third Of her
marriage. Her end was lenforccd) sohriety
J. j. became work'us boy, and received
with very ii grace) the education gene
rally awarded to that class of our younger
brethern In this public institution he had
the misfortune to quarrel with comrade
when they had each of them forks in their
hands the comrade made thrust at him
with the two-pronged instrument, and miss
ed !; whereupon j. j. returned the compli-
ment, but unfortunately took truer airn and
inflicted a ghastly wound he was naturally
set down As the more guilty of the two, was
severely classified. and branded as an en-
bryo ruffian. Now, it is often very difficult
in this oyerpopulated country for work.
boy who begins life without the prestige Of
convict father. mother who died Of a
deficient supply of-drink. and of having
himself nearly killed apIaymats with two
prongsd fork, TO obtaInya boot cle,ning and
errand running situation in a gentleman's
establishment. No wonder, then. that young
j. j., with his antece lents. had great deal
to bear at the Hon. an | Rev. Mr. FitzRex's,
who had charitably determined to "givs him
a chance !" no wonder, that with his natu-
rally sour and irritable temper, which, for
its Improvement, required soothing rather
than agsravating tre e,tment, he resented the
Language 1T Mr. Thomas--the gentleman
who ''led' the kitchen at Mr.. FitzRex' 81
whose questions were couched in so ne such
terms as: "N,w then, conwic, where's them
boots?" tf Mrs. Molly the cook, who never
omitted the opportunity ef fsaying: "Glt out
of my way, works., or I'll baste you as well
as this ere jint;" and of Mrs. 'Melia. the la
dy's maid, who deprecated his proximity in
the words: "Don't come anigh me-. you lit.
tie murderer don't" In fact, his feelings
were at last worked upon to such an extent
that he emptied kettle of boiling water up
on Mr.. Thomas's calves. in consequence Of
which TIE gentleman was confined to his
bed, with an additional discomfort in the
fact that he was forced to lay with his face
that,he anointed MRS. Molly's
rubicpnd features with spoonful Of
hot dfipping; and that he, in his own par
lance, '.gsye Miss 'Meiia one for hcrself'' - /
the effect of which was that one Of the eyes
of the recipient was surroupded by q black
nalo. It followed that j. ]. had to pc re-
turned to the authorities ut the workhouse,
who found themselves in. an awkward dilems
ma between their desire to make j. Us. life
an intolerabl burden to him, aud their fear
Of his violent te,p.l .ler. Now, just at this
particular .iunctire, one Of th9ss piraculoas
events took plsce upon which, though the
world knows nothing about it. depends near
ly all the evil and the good whereof the
checker work Of life Is formsd. Mr.. Noman,
Of Noware Hail, fell thinking. 1t sudden
ly dawnsd upon him that you can seldom
enforce your extreme rights against pm Of.
fender without to some extent damaging the
y'u esn rarely Gu. your ex-
.kha'6stj .tss