The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1872-10-16
A Woman on the Bench.

Suh.age and woman Othcc holding.
Tho first action taken under tho pro.
visions of this law, was the appoint
meut by the Sec, etary, as acting
Governor, Of Mrs. Esther Morris Of
South Pass City a. Justice Of the
Peace fur Swectwatcr County. Mrs.
Morris qualified, srcmitted ,hs usual
! fee S." to the Secretary, aud entered
upon she duties Of her rfiice. NTH
ing unusual occurred for some days :;
everybod, w"s Satisfied With the new
Justice. and tho rev justice with
everyh ay. On" day, however, tho
wine # hitte'nc's w.s m,x"d III he,
cup # bliss, onn no,~ outstanding her
womanly and wifeIy fec;,nl, she was
COUP llcI to drink it. Her better
ball., who was now left in charge o.
the domestic dep lrtment IF the firu
h.d, previous to h,> Ie'iren, ut TO the
sw5srs of domestic lite, occasional,,
t.ken social gia.s hts friends. Tax
ing Advantage ol ,h,s weakness, some
flieuds waited upon MIR. Norris one
day and having made Mr.. Morris
drunk, led HIM into breach OF III
Pc"ce, ,hen FASTENED to the esqnrrt's
office and lodged c"mplaint with
her Honor ag inst her Honvr's "licee
lord and maslei," tba, used to be,
aud demanded II warrant of arrest
Mrs. Ju ,ticr hesitatcd moment on
the banks OF this woman's Rubic,u,
but like Cesar she Was equal 10 the
emergency. and promptly crossed Into
her lord's Gominions, and her former
master was dragged before her for
trial.
Mr.. Morris head was not gu fIicieut.
ly clear to comprehend the situation.
He began to assert his sovel eign
rights III contempt of court, until
suddenly brought up by the officer in
obediencc to the Courts order. See.
ing that Things had changed some
what, and that Otheilv's occupation
had been ut least suspended, he
began to cxpo,tulate first with the offi.
Ger, uutil intoI oImcd by that function
ary that he had no discretion, but was
acting uuder orders from tho Court.
/ "Wh ho is the Court (hic) 2" in
quired Mr.. Morris. On being in
formed that tha occupant of the bench
was tho Judge, Mr. Morris looked Mt
the Justice with puzzled air,
scratched his head in an effort to col
lect his scattered thoughts, and
circulated, "EIcr--her-( (hic)--you d
'-tuol--she's NY wife-(hic)-
., is-that's Esther my wife Esther-
you're drunk, or-oh, don't bother me
(hic,r and he started to 20.
"Lock up the prisoner for con.
tempt of court said Mrs. Morris to
the officer.
"What have you to say about, it ch T.
blurtcd out Mr.. Morris, staggering
men cingly towards the Judge.
"You viii find | have Ill to say
about it. Officer lock him up," re-
piled her Honor.
Although badly mixed, Mr.. Morris
began to got a gllmmer of the truth,
and began pariey.
"Now look here Mr.. Officer, don't
you be in a hurry. I didn't mean
anything wrong. I want to jnst talk
with my wife minute. Now, Esther,
what's the use of foolin'; you just git
down out o there, and 60 home and
behave yourself. III teud to this
little dItfic ulty myself. Now 90 right
along, the baby wants nursing. I
had to give it Mrs. Winslow to got it
to sleep when I came down. He's
hungry, for he won't use that old bot
tie, and l don't blame him either.
The dishes ain't washed, nor the
beds made, neither. Aud what's
mo'e, | ain't goiu' 10 do IL ahy more,
now. You hear that. Now start
along.
BY the time Mr.. Morris had deliver.
cd himself Of this, his tone had
! changed as bis feelings warmed from
! that of oxpostulation to that Of COM
maud agaio, and the .fficer forced
him into the rudely constructed lock.
up in rear Of her Honor's court, and
there MIR. Morris was left to reflect
on the situation, aud gaze upon
the dividing wall between himself
and wife AZ the dividing limo betwe cen
mans and woman's rights under this
new disponsation.
| On the following morning Mr..
H"rfS was arral8ned before her
Honor, and in the most sober and
subdued manner, md with tho deep.
: est humiliation, pleaded guilty, asked
tho pardon Of the Court for contempt,
begged its clemcnoy, and then awaited
his sentence with humility and reSig.
nation. .t.... : ...
After giving the prisoner Caudlr
lecture as amended by the Laws
of Wyoming, her Honor imposed
the usual fine and required the p,is.
oner to give bonds to keep the peace,
upon which the Court galiantly of.
fered to let him 60, and Mr.. Morris
vanished. '...-..
A young man rode ten miles in o
railway carriage with young lady
| with tho intentinn nf ponn;nn 49,.