Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-06-11
A TALE OF THE CIRCUIT.
EY JUDGE CLARKE.

It was the first night of the circuit
after vacation, and old Tom. Badgers
turn for story.
Toms forte lay in the criminal line
He had cheated the gallows so often
that Bill Quipley used to say he wonder.
cd how he could look a hemp field in the
face.
''Did I ever tell you," said Tom, Civ
ing his tumbler of julep an exhaustive
suck-'Did I ever tell you, boys,
Obed. Scots case?'
No, he never had.
II should like to have such another
now he resumed. at was just de-
sperate enough to put one on his legal
metal; and | think, with my present
experience, I could win three times
out of five under similar circumstances.
But was boy then
aHow was it? ?" we asked, DESTROYS to
cut short the preface.
"The case was in NUTSHELL said
Tom, coming to the point.
'Enos Burdge was an old settler,
without wife or child, who began to
feel hampered as the population averag-
ed half a man to the square mile. lie
decided to sell out and go West
"He had choice tract of land, with
comfortable cabin on it; and Obed.,
instead of squandering his gains fool
ishly, as too many youngsters do, had
saved them up. One reason of his
prudence, mayhap, was his engagement
to Hattie Ward, the prettiest girl 1
ever saw"
The old lawyer stopped to honor her
with a reminiscent swig.
Though Others" he continued, off
cred more, 'in payments, Enos &C
cepted Obed's bid; for the latter was
ready to pay cash down, and Enos said
he whished to quit the country for
good, and didn't want to leave no un J..
settled business behiud him."
"On the day fixed for completing the
contract, Enos went before Justice of
the peace and duly executed deed to
Obed. Scott, which he carried away
with him, saying Obed. was to meet
him that evening, pay the money, re-
ceive the deed, and take possession;
after which it was Enos's intention to
| pass the night with an old friend to
whom he was to pay small debt, and
whose house lay in the direction OF his
journey.
''But Enos never reached his friend S
house, and the only account given of
him after leaving the Justices, was by
Obed. Scott, who said he had met
Enos at his cabin, as agreed on, paid
him his money and gotten the deed;
and then Enos had gone away, leaving
him in possession Of his purchase.
''There was no honester man than
Enos Burdge. That he should have
left the country clandestinely to avoid
paying the one trifing debt he owed,
and without stopping to bid his friends
good by, seemed thing hardly credi-
| bic.
"Rumors Of foul play began to be
circulated, and those were not wanting
who limited at the possibility of Obed.
SCOTS having thought it an economi-
cal stroke to put Enos out of the way
and so possess himself of the deed
without paying the stipulated price.
$50 rife did these rumors grow, that
sundry good citizens at last called on
Obed. and told him that a thorough in
vestigation was necessary to yindicatc
his name.
"1nstead Of inviting inquiry, as good
policy, to put it on no higher ground,
would have dictated, Obed was in
dignant. or feigned to be, at the i'm.
putation cast upon him. His tone en-
HANGED rather than allayed the pre-
vailing doubts, and search of the
premises was begun without waiting for
his permission.
''Not far from the cabin, beneath some
scattered..straw, signs were discovered
indicating that the earth had been
recently disturbed; and on digging
down little way, the mangled corpse