Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1875-02-04
An Hour at the Detroit Police
Court.

AS the reporters sat around the
stove waiting, Bijah spoke up md
said:
There's half an hour to spare, and
move we all tell story
It was agreed, and biting off an,
other piece of liquorice he began:
BIJAH's STORY.
Talk about cold weather! You
ought to pass one winter in Arizona.
In the winter of 1870, which the ma
tives called an open winter, the wealth
er was so cold that coffee froze on the
stove while we were getting breakfast
We had to take maui and wedge to
split butter open, and potatoes put in
to red hot oven to bake wonld freeze
in less than FIVE minutes =
Didn't all the live stock in the
country freeze to death ? queried one
of the circle.
We'll, some did, but we saved a good
many horses and cattle. 1t was a great
deal of tronble. We had to pack each
animal in box, cover him with cot
ton baton and fur, and then build
fires all around the boxes. Even then
some of the horses were so frost bit
ten that their hoofs dropped off, and
the poor animals had to be taken up
on sheets and carried down into the
valleys when spring came Some of
| yom may think I'm lying, but the man
who says so wants to come down be
hind the tannery and say it--yes he
does! I've lived in this world too
long to have any young men cast slurs
on my statements.
a REPORTERS STORY.
After Bijah had been assured that
everybody in the circle placed the
mOst. implicit confidence in his story,
reporter cleared his throat and
said
/ never had much to do with cold
climates, but know how hot it is in
Africa. When was reporting on the
African Dogstag, the leading morning
paper in that country, six men had to
stand and fan me as wrote. One day
two Of the six got into a fight, and
the heat was too much for the other
four 1t melted this left arm right of,
you see, and my right leg was saved
only by the greatest exertions.
know it looksi like big story, but if
any of you doubt my word I'll give
you the names of several respectable
parties in Africa who can be address
ed. But that wasn't called hot wealth
er--nor real hot day When the sun
got to melting the types in the cases.
door knobs dissolved, and awning
frames burned like straw, then we had
to stay in doors and look ont for our
selves. | know of several instances
where parties taking sim at rabbits
had the, barrel of the gun melt before
they could fire shOt!'
AN OLD MANS STORY.
There was an old man there from
St Clair--a stranger in the city, who
had heard of the doings of the Cen
trail Station Court and had come in to
see for himself. He had listened very
attentiYely to the other two stories
and after taking a long breath, he
commenced:
Gentlemen, you may observe that
l am an old man. My locks are as
white as the driven snow, my limbs
are weak, and it is evident to any Ol
you that | have not long to stay in
this world. I speak of this because
it doesn't seem likely that I, so neal
the grave, would tell lie for the sake
of telling a story. No, No; I shall
speak nothing but the truth. I wa!
going to speak about snow. The win
ter I lived in California was pool
winter for snow. There was great
complaint that the crops would bC
frozen out, and many farmers were
downhearted. l was over in Los An
geles county one day, hunting, anG
while going across q plain came up
on circular hole in the snow, with
ladder leading down. Filled with Gu.
ri0sity, descended. went down. ..26I
feet by the tape line and then struck
the tops Of the trees. $50 feet further
down I came upon village. Sleighs
were dashing about, business goins
, on, and everybody was looking for
thaw
HIS HONOR
came in while the circle were ponder
+ ing over the story, and the warrar
being ready, poor lone chap wa
brought ont. He was the sole prisone
and be had called and asked to b
j, sent up.
! Sir, do you suppose 1 can hoof
: down here on a cold morning an
. open court on one prisoner p demand
: ed his honor.
Pm sorry, sir, and as soon as ca
strike job I'll pay all the COSTS r,
piled the prisoner
!. well, if you want to go 1 suppos
, I'll have to send you, but you can
expect to have the cushions put int
y the Black Maria. Well, here you g
7 and here go. The boys will los
y you up"
! After the Maria had gone Bija
:. went softly to the old man and viii
:, pered
Z NOW, do you really mean to Sc
~ that the snow was as deep as that?'
:, DO II replied the man, 'why,
: didn't strike the deepest spot; Ian
ed on hill. suppose the snow W
: 100 feet deeper in some of the VI
~ leysT
= Are you thinking of coming to D
i troit to live p asked Bijah,
= No
e q 4 am glad of that. This town
only big enough to support one gre
liar, and if you thought of comil
Is here I'd have to move IL Free Pre-:
te --'s '---
Or Hannible Hamlin begen life as
oy printer, and very possibly in the trai
n. ing which he got at the type font Ii
ed the secret of his success as a politics
of He is now sixty-six years of age, a
has been in public life 40 years, ,duri
of which time he has been member of t
RI Maine Legislature six years, in three
he which he was Speaker of the House
n Representatives for four years, &c
ye. ernor of Maine short time, Senat