New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-05-14


order was in battery, ""action 'front.'" or timber
up to the rear" the little party talked over the
events of the campaign courtmartiaed some
officers and awarded medals to others, with
the usual warmth of argument which inspires men
whose logic is personal experience. The CONVEX
sation became amcable, and the party regarded
the canteens as a comrade which could not pos
sibly survive the hemouhage much longer and
grew grave accordingly.
Stingray-" That mint looked SO fresh. It was 80
green. It was so natural. 1t seems to me have
Just rode to Northumberland Courthouse. 1t is a
very hot day Every one is idle. They are de-
lighted to see me. They take my horse at the
| tavern door Every one hurries me to the bar,
and glass holding as much as one of your
degenerate pitchers, is presented to my glowing
| Inns. tits covered with knobs of ice inside and
| out, and spring fingers in the lap of winter. The
green and glorious mint rises from the freezing
and frosted julep. Pass that glass around. What
Joys what jests it inspires! Glorious Old
Dominion why did they envy your happiness and
| seek to substitute a system so hostile to all your
customs and tradtons?" " You are eloquent upon
mint, Stingray, but it makes the worst kind of
drunk, ;" saba guest.
'That's because one drinks so much of it. Some
times man don't come to himself for week. I
knew curious case of the sort once"
Omnes-"What was it, stingrayw
"'Pshaw, it amt worth telling besides we shall
be under way soon"
ooh, no, we're good for midnight Let US
hear"
"Certainly" said Stinpray, "I'll talk if You'll
listen, but pass the persuader.n The canteen
responded to our several appeals. 1t seemed to
flicker in the socket and to inspire brighter inspi
rations with its waning life drops
'Well,m said Stingray IN give YOU Spirits in
Moderation"
"Od Judge Lomax was the best Judge that ever
sat on our bench, and he was even a better man
than he was Judge, but there were some things
he couldn't Judge as well as could and Twill tell
you one of them. We had changed our old Con
stitutton and made our sheriff8 elective We had
good sheriHs before and it did not improve them,
although was one of the new style, having
been elected BY the people Of my county over
two or three men, either of whom, may say,
was filter for it than / myself. At least my
securities came to that conclusion subsequently.
at had been my duty to summon venire to
the fall term of the Judges court and after hav-
ing proceeded somewhat in the examination OF
witnesses the court adjourned, and the jury was
committed to the care and custody of the sheriff.
In order to avoid any official liability the sheriff
asked special directions from the Judge He
was to take them to a respectable, but not
costly, hotel. They were to be fed and attended
but allowed to hold no communication with any
outside persons upon any subject connected with
the case under consideration. ''Were they to
have any liquor, a julep or two, for instance ?'
mot a drop. Butt said the benevolent and
strictly temperate Judge, probably repenting OF
this obdurate decree, ''you may give them
little, bat in moderation Mr. Sheriff, in great
moderation"
Thus charged the jury was taken to the
hotel and the sheriff having made proclamation
of adjournment, resumed o game OF poker which
. had stood continued from the preceding evening
Z" 1t was nearly daybreak," said Stngray. " We
+ had supper oysters and julep till we had become
e very good company. Everybody was talking
G everybody was drinking everybody was smoking
J when we heard rap at the door. Well we didn
II exactly hear rap. Ny deputy aud one or tw,
u villa e boys not being able to attract attention b,
: shouting and pounding at the door, had climbed
in at the window. The jury had got liquor, wa
very drunk, and was making, if anything, more
= noise than were. | commanded my deputy t.
" return and decaptate any negro who should volat
/ tile judicial decree of temperance by bringin
drink to the Jury. The deputy was to walk thet
out early in the morning, give them good breal
fast and bring them into court sober. He r.
D. turned to his duties and returned to mine. Til
N next morning the Jury wa in court. The Judge We
lie engaged apparently in looking through the docke
Is The clerk was polling the jury-that is, calm
y the names The jurors answered in capriciou
lg variety of tones, from the bass of bull frog
lie the squea of a discontinued kitten. The judg
as listened at this vocal register, which was abor
IL equal to that of Sonora Alboni. At last the cel
NJ called George Washington Brown, and he T
es sponded as if he were hailing a ferry boat aero
ne York river, "here, by G-dH The judge la
as down the docket, and called out for the sheriff
Oh reported for duty. 1t appears to that this
is drunk" The correctness of this obHer dictu
10 was confirmed by Browns denial. &c You a
10 drunk, sir" said the judge, and in this sta
a' have dared to present yourself to sit in judgme
r. upon questions of fact, involving the liberty al
the life of fellow creature" Brown expost
u lated, and making an energetic demonstration
as dissent from the judicial opinion, tumbled und
Oh the clerks table. Grand tableau. Take him
jail, sheriff, said the judge; and Brown, demau
p ing his habeas corpus-an oldfashioned writ,