The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1874-09-16
M1isreIlaneuus.
UNCLEJOEDOPPLE'S STORY

We were hungry jury, kept
ont by IN obstinate judge, who told
us the case was very plain one,
at the same time taking good care
not TO tel US on which side it vas
so plain.
Most of the testimony on both
sides, we were convinced, was false,
and the problem to be solved was
one not Unusually presented in law
! snits-to find out the truth by
striking q balance between con-
Trajectory lies.
! Being in for a night of it, and
: having regained toward e a C h
other the good temper we had lost
! in quarreling over the case, the
! next point was how to get through
! the time.
"Somebody tell a story" sug-
! gested the foreman. "Mr. Dopple,
! you're an old settler, and must
have met with some adventures in
! pioneer times that would be worth
telling"
, "Well, 1 have seen some queer
things" said Mr.. Dopple-"Uncle
Joe" his neighbors called him.
hale old man Of about sixty, with
a face full of good humor and good
sense. l have seen some queer
things, but I am not much at mar
rating them"
Never mind Uncle Joe," We
! said, "you'lI do it we'll enough
"WeII, boys if you'll excuse mis-
takes, I'll tell you about a case
that might have turned out a
great deal more seriously than this
one"
$50 on" was urged.
"This is how it was" began
Uncle Joe, clearing his vocal hatch
way by rolling an immense quid
into one cheek. "When Id made
up my mind to come out here and
buy, mother, as I called my wife,
she made me belt to carry my
money in.
"Them was the days before
greenbacks, and bank notes were
no great shakes if they got too far
from home. So land buyers most,
ly carried what they had in specie,
which they commonly did in belts,
buckled around their bodies-a
dodge the robbers soon got up to-
and the first thing they did when
they got hold Of a chap was to
look fer his money belt.
"WeII, I kissed mother and badc
her goodbye one morning, and
set out to hunt new home fol
US, carrying the price Of it in barc
cash.
"Nothipg worth mentioning hap
pened till one night L stopped al
. cabin and asked for lodging.
"'You can have it, was the an
swer, that is providing you don't
object 10 sleeping double, for ano
ther strangers here before you
Il didn't exactly like the idea
but houses were scarce in then
parts, and not caring to risk 60
ing further, and faripg worse, lit
and taking my saddle-bags on my
arm, led my critter around to the
stable, the proprietor showing th'
way, and when old Roam had beer
looked after we went into th'
house.
"The other stranger was sitting
by the fire, and gave me a SHARP
look as | came forward.
GAS I sat l noticed he KEEP
watching me sharp. [ didn't fan
cy his looks much but after q spell
, he managed to be quite friendly
as it was always my way to NEE
that sort Of thing halfway.
"He, too, was on the lookout t.
, buy, and we compared notes OF
:, the subject till bed time. Gu
host was one O. them sort O. chap
), that listen . good deal withou
, saying much, and his wife looked
as if she larcn't say much if sb
+ would.
, 1--WE paid our bills before goini
to bed. The other traveller sai
, he was going to start before day
] buta as our roads lay but . little wa.
, together, | concluded 1 wouldn'
; rise so soon for the sake of onl
q that much company. Sunrise wa
early enough for me.
"Our sleeping room was one en-
b of the cabin partitioned off by i
!, self.
"'It's a long time since you an
Il me slept together,' said the strar
ger, when we was both ready t
d lay down.
$50 it is,' said l. (Which sid
q do you take ?
I" Front said he, if it is a
}, the same to you
d "'All the same,' said l jumpin
. in.
9 MThe strange followed, and