Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1867-01-19
A Calf In Court.

ter conlshine about The hardness OF IN
times. and the desiructiveness OF grosn
nice in particular. especially upon youn
lemon trees, inquired il we had heard c
The calf in court over in an adjoinin
township We OF course plead ignuTsnc
Of ever caring Of such case. and assur
ed him. lLai We were of the opinion tina
no animal except the igno-ram Us ever en-
rere d The portals Of such place. Bum
frey ohlIgIngIy Informed US. that we Ell
ed greatly, for he was personally presen
when the calf was brought into court
that it was case Of cross Jurisdiction, and
was grsvely heard before q justice and de-
rlded upon its merits.
According to friend Bumfrey i, happen.
ed thus wise -
Two neighboring formers pssiured
their cattle in adjoining fields. Being
somewhat brsschy, they occasionally COZ
mixed; and the mixing finally resulted IN
dispute between The farmers as 10 the
ownership OF particular calf. Falling IN
compromising their respective claims !"
each Others satisfaction. they iook The
case. or the calf. into court for adJud'ca'
cation. Counsel were employed, wit
nesses summoned, both "whi.e spirIts
and black" and The cause was regularly
tried before township justice.
The first witness examined was q
young lady. The daughter OF one ol TIE
claimants. She testified positively In The
identity Of the calf. and that IL was the
property Of her father. Other witnesses
were examined on the same side, their
evidence ,eGGing 10 supper, the 'es'Imo'
ny OF the young lady. and the claim oi
the party to she ownership oi Tho bovine
animal seemed beyond cavil or dispute
The orlher party, however. had NOT been
heard. and when his Witnesses SeTe
brought 10 tho stand. their testimony ~ss
equally expIIci, in his behalf.
Aunt Dinsh. eol"red. being brought &c
lte box. and questioned. as her knowi
edge of The case. or calf after clearing her
'hroa, and casting a hook OF supreme con
tempt upon the opposing side. tesllhsd I"
ullows We'll. chile, addressing The
Cout, j jisl knows all about dat dsr call.
duz dat 'rbe Coun here Shrugged
his shoulders. and reminded Aunt Dinsh
that she must be respectful in her allu.
sions.
Yes honey continued Dinsh. j al
len !. 'sp+c,fuI 10 everybody. 'sperISll!
x hen da is '.pecllul TO NE. People da'
ISN'T 'specGul-
Here his honor interrupted Dinsh a.
gam, and demanded that -he should pro
reed dtec, in her testimony. Well,
chile, ain'i | goin on directly. You
needn't fl up so much. People dat is
special 10 me. is to dem. is.
Here the court lust his patience. and
Dinsh was required to tell what she
knew about the ownership Of the cah and
nothing else.
.Whsw. who dat ialkin now : 'iain'
Dinah, sure. | most a told oil about de
,alf fore dis time, but when people AMI
sperifuI 10 me, ism, TO DEM
The court a, This boiled over. and Di.
nah was threatened with the "lock.Up"
or her cuniumsciousness.
Wei, lis hear dsi uow. she continu-
ID. 'spectfuI people done bin brought
,ers about an ole lousy calf. and den put
o jail. Well. Massey Linctum sin't
much il he lows dsi.'
The counsel on Dinah's eide q, last
,revs,lcc upon her 10 tell what she kne"
;esi about the calf and Dinah. having
:omp posed her uervss aud recovered her
'oulibriu II, said she 'knew al sboui de
ALI. il 'icngcd 10 masser s., ssr'aln
10 sure. cause dat cali was born in DO
,srn yard. RICH, sfOrs my eyes, and de
Of da, calf was mssssr S-st
I'd muly COW. Sides Js', de calf yPs
Ia:d ,d wrsn, wouljn't lArn TO feed hm'
rlf. Now. chile. dat is what knows.
md wba, knows. knows. DAT.
Dinal having concluded. Pete. another
:olored individual. was ralIrd on Tor hiss
es,imony. lie said all DAT know boat
Ia, calf. fore God. is. dat ] Was lisin'
Yid Nj. S. when DE marAin' man con, Ia
mark de $40. K. | was iola 10 coIch DAT
ali, and | colch him hy de bipe leg. and
10 kicked worser dan &c debbh. | hole
IN and hole on. and he kick and kick. and
Nr. s. wus'n nj OAR den. case he went
oun' de barn. and Mr.. Oliver he was
over hind de corn house. and OATS whs. ]
lnOw.
Al this stage Of The proceedings friend
Bumfry said he had 10 leave. How the
,ase waa deriJed. he didn'i know, but he
links negro testimony il rsiher funny. IL
lol very weighty. and u ell calculated TO
1emoye the dUH nonoIony Of The Court