The Portland daily press., 1865-10-10
Tuesday Morning, Oct. 10, 1865.
An Acoommodatine a Iudra

AuScuny AAlV4AAAi-31 lSSts AVS 4NOCs't'
An Accommodating Judge.
Throughout the western and southwestern
portion OF the y United States the inhabitants
possess certain peculiar characteristics which
IN all ages and IN almost every country, have
tihiJv marked those living midways between savage
and civilized life. This is more particularly
A M the case with hunters and trappers who follow
8lI their caiEg in the far West, it is termed
and whose virtues and whose vices alike are
notof those OF the "dwelers in cities" In
ga them personal courage and endurance, fidelity
to their word, and certain rude simplicity of
character are frequently found in conjunction
e.4t with total disregard for those laws by which
esA o society, in settled communities, provides
'q7y9 for its own security. Their code of morality
Is, in fact their own; and occasionally as will
Il g be seen BY the following narrative may lead a
man, who ebeys Its Dictates into the perpetra-
ton of great crime, for the purpose of avoid
ing the commission Of what, in comparison,
ssil m might be termed a genial erTorsaa --taoa4'
. sga About eight years ago had occasion to
~ travel through several of the Southern States,
for the purpose of collecting various debts due
to a large Boston dry goods house, of which
was one Of the clerks While in Texas stop
e'' ped one evening at a small town called Jack
son, near the Mexican frontier, and put up for
-r,-r the night at the only hotel the place could
boast had just seated myself at supper when
the door opened, and tall strongl y-built
man entered the room. He was clothed in the
lhhl8lJ usual hunters costume, viz. al tght-iitting
buekslin hunting shirt with leggings and
moccasins Of the some material. "A belt of
undressed deeT-skin, bucked round his waist
supported heavy Colts revolver on one side
while on the other was suspended a leather
$50 sheath, containing bowie knife of formidable
" 2s dimensions. He placed the rifle he carried in
his hand against the wall, and then proceeded
10 ~ to take off the belts which hung over his
brawny shoulders, sustaining his shot-pouch
and powdsrhorn which was curiously wrought,
io m and evidently the work Of some Mexican ar
% tist Is 81 ,.sf
Having thus relieved himself, the stranger
drew stool up to the fire, and placing his
muscular hands on his thighs seemed to peer
with his keen eyes into the cracking fire
which roared in the chimney.
sn As he had not saluted me when he entered,
as is usual in that section of the country /
took no further notice of him; for presumed
his want Of success In hunting had put him in
il-humor, and it was not improbable that ifhe
discovered my gaze fixed pertinaciously upon
him he might be disposed to fasten quarrel
upon me-, therefore directed my attention
exclusively to the meal hetora me, but the
lNE Id knife and fork almost fell from my hands as
his stentorian voice struck upon my ear; and.
in spite of myself, Slight tremor shock my
frame as Lheard the awful tone in which he
spoke the last word.
"a s Landlord, give me some hquor-I have moa-
cyl" ,-,s....s-,.''.- s..,q ,,f
The landlord glanced at his guest, and hesi-
"a tated for moment but the stranger raised
his eyes; the effect was magical in an instant
q wel-flled whiskey-bottle and tun1bler were
placed before him.
Landlord, hang that on the rife; but stop
give me the knife first" fe !,
3 i And he handed the waistbelt, pistol and
t scabbard to the host, while he thrust the knife
in the bosom of his hunting-shirt. AS the inn
= ~ keeper was obeying the bidding OF his strange
visitor, the latter poured the tumbler full OF
M Whiskey, and tossed it off at draught. agiifi
Landlord" he said again, Il want some
thing TO eat-Fve money Tor that toO. ssl
There was q deep tone IN his voice as he
uttered these words, that disturbed me strange
j, ly. ia as5I5 Ssas K as lsasagss - .s3
fnQ An additional plate was placed on the table,
sai p and the stranger seated himself opposite to
me. He had fine face-a careless ndepend-
5'a5z ence in t which / liked; but the courteous
manner in which he said, II hope amt one
- too many here stranger" excited my surprise.
Z AsA 4 assured him that his company was agreeable
to me rather than otherwise, for disiiked eat
ing alone. - Hs.s-rs~ , ,bastaF
+ s' SEnough said" answered he Ntheres my
fist' and we shook hands across the table, .
A His appetite was in proportion to his bulk,
and he scarcely spoke again until after supper,
when he commenced conversation, from
which Idisceveredhim to be man of unusual
ability although rough and uncultiyated.
During our dialogue, Ievidently made fa-
Yorable impression upon him, and. in return
for my courtesy, he rec0unted many deer, wolf
and bear hunts, with such power that was
delighted. The conversations however, after
time tagged, and ] fell into train of mus
ing on the business which had led me to that
r Is part of the country. A gloom gradually set
ss,r tied over the face of my companion, from
81 lola which. when / observed it, i endeayored in
vain to arouse him. He answered me cour-
teousy, to be sure, but very abruptly; and ev-
cry now and then be had recourse to the bot
firs tie, until it was empty. "a 3ssll 8se
fa aLandlord, fetch me more liquor" he called
o '-. out authoritatiyey; and he drank more and
r more, till finally he fell from his stool; and
he retired to bed in an adjoining room,
heard his snoring through the inn,
ia Being much fatigued, having travelled forty
miles on horseback during the day, slept
until felt hand grasping my arm; open
ing my eyes, Il saw the sun shining through
T1fof 0ff fhp
1 Gus evening standing beside me. - -" 81
s Stranger" said he, fexcuse me-but saw
last night that you was a whoie-s0uled fellow,
and want you to go with me-" saias stss9 y
Where to?f' i asked tn sshe4
avhe @I1Sat 9S9stSs's,2 9st S. he replied.
-5 I've got something on my mind-it must
s come out tried liquor last night but could
MT Keep II down amt drinking man. no.
how and feel like a dog Come sllong WIFI,
me and be my friend" . ~
ini.fI There was bold frankness in his ,a.
that l could not withstand. I rlr
" rose and dressed myself, and we walked ~ 3c
y- oeti,.r to the house Of the Justice who ,oTs
9bn1t halt q mile from the hotel He se3t
down word to us that he would be up in 4
.' colIple OF hours ~ f-f
aBut tell him" said my acquaintance to the
servant, "I want to see him on matter Of life
-s aDa's no use o. dat" grinned the slave,
@massa don't care bout life and death till he
5 get him sleep out" s.s-l. s s-.s,as ..,s
Il W. l6IL the mouse, Dub OoAA tAvtN, - AhJ
companion called himself made no further al
lusion to the nature of his business than to
say, in answer to my inquiries, 1When we see
the Judge you'll know all" #A
We returned to breakfast, and observed
that Rofe refused the morning dram profer-
eo MN by the landlord, and ate sparingly.
something was evidently preying on his mind,
ana an4iously awaited the hour when Il
shgald receive an explanation of the mystery.
t,,d me ls. tne came, "a and we were admitted into
was gentleman of wealth and education ro-
s tund IN person, and apparently on excellent
terms with himself and the world "a rq5
ter?" f-TsSS 1''S 'ie ii''V-
why, you see," replied Role, "three days
ago, came down the river to Madison to sel
3g my iurs and skins. made a pretty pood
trade, but thatvery night lost my whole bile
at poker was dead broke, and hadn't a
confounded cent lett. Well, the next morn