Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1870-11-05
rue Accommodating Judge.

I fearless Teneoahisis silh dsafh musl TaHk
I il unlsr The asas Of ehiValry, there Is af
a mixture Vhish, in polite soeisiy, DC
Eeall itF,n febniouss or msyhsP ssme-
lhins haTshsr,
The ineohErnns compound may better
be e2plaiHed by The following anseieis, Ia
whieh | sLai, sohsiisT myss.f ia the place
I " deceased fFi,ni from whom iheaTl H.
While on the frontier Of Texas, several
years since, stepped AZ = small taHn aud
Z put up Al la,fra where The luxury oI the
liable mere THAI compensated for tue smallr
ness Of the houss My supper VAS prepared
. aud seated myself 10 paTtake oft lhsl
/ hardly done when the door epeasi aud
a huge mass a mah catered, Ills head
was bound by check handkerchief Of cot
ton tied In boWknoi Ia iront, and from
beneath its edge behind stuck rough aud
brlsily mass ofjel,blaok hair. Ills body
was protected from the weather by AtishI-
fitting bustskin hunling-shirli while leg
gins aud mOeeaslus of the tsu,e material
enYelopei his legs aud feeIi belt of un.
dressed leer-hide bueklel about his waist
supported two pistols Of huge dimensions,
aud from Il was suspended a leather soab-
bard containing knife, the handle -t
which was a fearful oxen of its length.
lie placed his ride In . corner, aud took oi
the belts which hung over his brawny
shoulders, suspeudine his shot.pouch aud
powder-horn, which we've eurlously wrought
aud told ofa Mexican artist Having thus
partly uuburdenel himself hc pGlled a
stool near the iire for ilo night was damp
aud chilly, and, slapping his muscular
hands on his thighs, setned TO peer with
=, g..sa ,l.a ~. .,.a, NUa tVlfah
roared up the wide chimney
Naturally unobtrusivt, noticed him no
farther, and was fully e,gigcd In my meal,
, when the knife and fork fell from my
hand as heard his lhrnlcr voice fall up.
on my ear aud, in spie Of mySelf, tre-
mcur stole through my body as ! heard the
awful tone with which he spoke the last
word.
Landlord, gi' me some liquOr-I have
money"
The landlord glan:od Mt his guest and
hesitatcd moment, tat the stranger rails
cd his eyes; the effect was magicali in an
instant, the wel.-flltd whisky-bottle aud
tin tumblor were at his elbow.
Landlord, hang llIat on the rife but
stop, gi me the knife first, and lie handed
the waist-bclt, pistols, and scabbard TO the
host, whilst be thrust the knife Into the bo-
som of his huntiUg-shirt As the inn
keeper was obeyihg the bidding of his
strange visitor, the latter poured the ium-
bier full of whisky end tossed it of ut
swallow
"Landlord," lie cried again, ~ want
something to eat-Ive money for that too
There was deep tone in his voice that
disturbed me mystericusly.
The additional plate was placid On the
table, aud the stranger seated himself op
posite to me. He had n fine face-a care
less independence on it; but the courteous
manner in which he asked, ~ hope amt
one too many hero, stranger excited my
surprise. assured him that was pleas
ed rather than otherwise, as disliked eat
ing alone.
Enough said," answered he, "thcre's
my fist" and shook hands over the table.
His appetite was in proportion to his bulk,
and we discoursed but little until after
supper, when he commenced converse
ton in which he evinccd a sound mind, al
though his language was rough and full OF
provncialisms.
During our talk ingratiated myself in
his favour, and in return for my politeness
he recountcd many deer, wolf, and bear
hunts, with such power that was delight
ed The conversation, however, Tagged,
| as fell into train of musing on the very
imnortant business which had brought me
to that country. A gloom gradually set
| tied on the face of the stranger from which
| [ tried in vain to rouse him. lie answer
ed me courteously, to be sure, but very
short; and every now and then hai re-
course to the bottle till it was empiied,
"Landlord, fetch me some liquor he
called authoritatively, and he drank more
till finally he fell from his stool, and, as l
retired to bed in another corner Of the
room, heard his snoring ring through the
cabin.
Being much fatiGued, having travelled
| forty miles on horseback during the day, l
slept till felt hand grrsp my arm
opening my eyes, beheld the sun shining
through the window and the stranger awak-
ing me.
HStranger" said he, ''excuse me, but l
saw last nigh. that you was q whole-souled
fellow, and want you to go with me-
"Where to ?" asked.
"To the magistrate" he replied.
"What for2'
"Iye got something on my mind-must
out tried liquor last night; but couldn't
| keen it down. ain't drinking man no
how, and feel like dog. Come along
With RE end be my friend
There was bold frankness In his man.
ner that [ could not withstand. | accord
inely arose and equipped myself, and we
walked to the house of the magistrate, who
sent word that he would be up in couple
of hours.
nBut tell him." said my companion to
the servant, ~ want to see him on mat
ter of life and death"
"Da's no use o dat" grinned the slave,
"massa don't care bout life and death TIL
&e, git his sleep out"
We left the house, but John Rox, as he
called himself, did not alludc to his press
ing business more than to say, "When we
see the Judge you'll know ALL"
We returned to breakfast, and observed
nv companion refused the morning dram
presented to him by the landlord, and eat
sparingly. Something was evidently prey
ing on his mind, | anxiously awaited the
hour TO hear it developed.
The time came and we were admitted to
the presence of the dispenser of justice,
pbo was man of wealth, good spirits, and
rotundity Of person.
"well," said the judge, "whats the mat
terri
Gwhy you see,' said Rox, "day before
Yesterday siaid at &C. all day, and hadn
a orfounded cent, and as wouldn't CHS
ell went without eating. Yesterday
morning I started of as hungry as pan
ther. and as rode alone, thinks what am
lItodo2 I'm above cheating any man out
of dinner, but dinner must have. Just
then fellow came riding along the road.
talked to him and tried 10 borrow, swear
ing 10 pay him at such place IN week
but the critter told me he paid his way OUT
of his own pocket, and he'd too little to d.
vide"
s.How much have you got7 says
HTwo ffiy, says be.
fNow.H thinks /, athat is too little TO d.
vide" So, while he was looking another
wav. shoots him through the head SUD
gin him ss decent burial ss | could under
~ cld l-z. snd took the two dollars and
hEH. But il won Z do ny conscience mis-
gives me. In sorry for it. and wish th'
teller had his money back IL be could only
be sIivs; but between you and |, as is toc
iafs for thnf. tbink ought 70 be hung
Tie judge called his black boy, ordered