Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1867-10-31
An Accommodating Judge.

The following story only the Conclu.
ding portion of which we give--is told of
Judge =, Of Jackson, Texas, and
John Rolfe, a backwoodsman. Rolfe-
a tall hunter, dressed in deerskin. and
armed with revolver, rifle and bowie.
knIfe-visits Jackson, calls on the Judge
at his residence (with the narrator, and
thus relieves his mind:
"You>see, Judge, early day before yes
terday morning | started for this place,
and IS wouldn't Chisel, went without
eating the whole day. ! slept in the
oods, and yesterday morning l got up
as hungry as panther; and, as / walk
ed along, thinks |. what am to do.
never saw game so scarce there wasn't
so much as a squirrel 10 be found. Pm
above cheating any man out of his dinner
but felt that dinner l must have
Just then a fellow come riding along the
road / talked 10 him, and tried to Dor.
row, swearing to pay, at any place he
might name in week; but the Critter
told me be paid his way cut of his own
pocket, and he'd too little to divide.
"How much have you got o. says l.
1.-TWO, fifty" says be.
Now thinks |, that is too little to d.
vide. So, while be was looking the 9TH
er way, shoots him through the head,
and gin him as decent burial as could
under the old log, and took the two dol
lars and a half. But it WON'T do; my
conscience misgiyes me. I'm sorry fol-
it, and wish the fellow had his money
back, if he could be alive Between you
and me, as it is late for that, l think tha
l ought TO be hung"
The Judge called his little black boy
ordered three papers of tobacco, and We
smoked in silence.
Then you think you really ought L
be hung ~ he said. with compassion, as
be whitfield a cloud of smoke toward the
ceiling.
Il DO, in fact" answered Rolfe, emit
ting a similar volume of vapOr.
The Judge smoked and considered
} again.
"Wsll, Wen try to hang you, he said
There was an expression of gratitude
in Rolfe's eye as he replied:
Thank you. That will ease my con
: science"
The Judge again knocked the ashe
from his pipe, and spoke:
well, come here in half an hour. II
r try to get jury
Rolfe and myself, laying our pipes Of
the table, were about leaving when lh
4 Judge asked US to drink, which having
: done, we babe him good morning.
= At the expiration of half an hour W
b returned when be found some twelv
e men drinking and smoking with the mag
= istrate, awaiting US. We were politel
requested 20 SIT down.
:, Now" said the Judge, addressin
himself to Rolfe ''tell these gentleme
e what you have already told me-"
y Whereupon Rolfe repeated The state
IS ment be had before made,
e Now, gentlemen" continued the fir.
II speaker, Il wish to say, if this gentle
+ man-Mr RoIfe your name is, eh vel
/, there's some fine old brandy, make youl
e self perfectly at home-whe;her, ger
tlemen, you fEd John Rolfe guilty, {
d not guilty, Of murder. In addition
of wha! he said, | will observe for your II
:. formation, that l have sent out and foun
The body just where he stated it TO be.
The Jury smoked, rose up, took lit
ie brandy and water, and then sat dow
again, and smoked 10 silence for SON
time. Al last one Of them, who appea
C. ed TO be lbe foreman, said:
The case is tolerably clear, and y
2. rather think he's guilty."
Y. There's more tobacco on the table
Or said the Judge to Rolfe. "the best y
can fnd anywhere. You have hea
- what these gentlemen have said. Well
le he continued, a little uneasiIy, Il don
ike TO tell you IN my own house; but
le LET that be 10 hindrance, said Rolf
5. filling and lighting his pipe.
We'll, Ihen," continued the Judg
D. ..come here at ten o'clock to-morrC
in morning, and I'll have you hung"
Rolfe looked Disconnected. and appea
lg ed mortified al the idea of asking a lay,
,.You-you have been so kind to me
he SAID, hesilaungly, "lhal / hardly Ii
TO ask you for anything more"
''Not at al" replied the Judge. &c
IN with il; you are welcome to Il befo
nj you ask. "