The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-06-04
StatiOn-HOuse Sketches.

''Martin Delany, see gray hairs on your
head, the wrinkles of old age on your face,
and you look like one who will soon fall
away, and be gathered to his fathers. \ Ou
are going on sixty years of age, and here
you are charged with drunkenness. Speak,
aged pine, and tell me if it is true or false" "
- / cannot tell the TRUTH did it with
my little bottle!'' replied the old man in
husky tones.
"Yes, fioored by the bottle, as millions
have been before you. You seem to regret
it now, but last night, when you were
rambling around with a spade in your
hand, whOOping, bowling, and terrifying
small children, you didn't care a cent
whether school kept or not. feel like adj
vising you to 90 home and press your
children to your bosom, embrace your
wife and promise them that not another
drop of liquor will ever pass your lips, but
it isn't my sympathetic morning, and I'll
make it $40 or ninety days.
David Bell, standing here in the prime
of life with a red nose and wilted collar,
you are charged with vagrancy," remarked
his Honor.
''Vagrancy. eh?"
"YeS, sir, that's the charge, written in
letters an inch high, and yet you are young,
have a constitution like clearinghouse
butter, foot as large as a candle-boX, and
for some reason decline to earn you own
bread and butter"
Il do, eh?'
"Yes, sir, you do. You have been
wandering about the alleys, sleeping on the
wharves. and standing on the corners,
while even the cripples have labored for
honest bread"
"They have, eh?'
"Yes, sir, they have, and You ought to
feel ashamed of yourself and go and drown
Yourself sir. But you won't tdO it, and I'll
send you to the WOrk-hOuse for four
mOnths.''
"You will, eh?"
"Yes, sir, | will. Take him to the
Black Maria, Biiah, and if you can get an
eight-Ounce tack under him the ride will
DO him much more good"
May Wayborn disturbed the peace by
making a great noise and collecting a
crowd, and now she can't remember any
thing about it. She can't remember of
biting a pOliceman's knuckles, of pulling
the janitOr's hair, or of the happy little
songs she INDUCED in for four hours after
being locked up.
"There's no use in winkingat me, " said
his Honor, with a shake of his head: it's
a clear case and law is law. You are Young
yet. May, and it makes me sad to see one
in the bud of life recklessly trampling un-
der foot the opportunity to become great
woman. Joan of Arc hadn't your chance.
Victoria Woodruff wasn't known to the
world at your age. Susan b. Anthony
didn't get her name in the newspapers
until she was hundred years old. Why
don't you emulate some of those hero
ines?"
EN- who?" inquired the prisoner.
1t is evident to me-" continued the
Court, in a changed voice, ''that you have
no aspirations-no lOngings for fame.
y on had rather be 4 hen on the fence than
an eagle among the clouds, and I'll make
it sixty days"
''Am | sent up?' she asked.
"YOu are.'
"Then draw the dagger and strike me
here!' she cried, putting her hands on her
corset and rolling up her eyes. Bijah put
his arm around her slender waist and told
her that his Honor had left his dagger at
home for the cook to peel potatoes with,
and he asked her, for his sake, to consent
to live few days longer. as onions and
radishes were just beginning to sprout,
and he had seen three new hand-Organs on
the street that mOrning.-Detroit Free
D.eeo