The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-08-12
THE JUDlsE-s FILTRATION.

THE JUDGE'S FILTRATION.
As DR.. Hoffman drove up the avenue
leading to Judge Cooper's house, he was
startled by cries for help-cries continu-
ed and voclferous, then plteous, broken,
and entreating.
Above all the accompanying chorus,
shouting negative that might have been
heard in Babel, he detected the voice APP
pcalIng for aid M belonging To the judge
himself.
Bending his head from under the cover
of his carriage that he might see the
house, he was again alarmed at the usual
light and movement. Good heavensl
could it be fret Was any one sick unto
sudden desth2
1t WAS the work OF a moment to spring
up the steps leading to the piazza, TO
open the shutters TO the library window,
and look in. What he saw seemed to
satisfy and relieve him, for he walked
down the steps with great deliberation,
declined in rather a snappish way the
hostler's offer to attend his horse, and act
cd altogether like man who resented Il
false draft on his feelings.
Before peeping oyer the doctors shout
der, it may be rs we'll to say that during
the Christmas holidays Judge Coop'rs
h"use-an old-fashioned country man
sion, under whose roof.tree five genera
ations oi the name had lived and died
WAS literally an "open" one. 1t stood at
the end of the main street, and jus! out oil
the little village of c., the avenue or
carriage.way leading to the house being n
continuation of the street itself. AT this
time it was filled with Christmas guests
and holiday cheer, the first being limited
to suit the generous capacity oi the house,
while the latter never reached any stated
limit except the forced ones OF time and
endurance.
About midway between the two more
important days of Christmas and New
Years occurred the judges birthday,
when the ninth and fun outran all
bounds, when tricks were played upon
the unsuspec.ing, and jokes of the most
practical and personal character were
permitted without oilcnso, the master OF
the house being usually the r!ngleadaT
and fountain head of most OF the uproar-
ious iollity. No distinction OF age count
ed, and from the Judge himself TO Louis,
his tivc-ycar-old grandson, the only con
dition demanded was to be widc-swske
and make as much noise rs possible while
strength lasted.
DIR. Hoffman alone of oil the guests
was allowed to come and go independent
of time and occasion, his profession max
ing the exception necessary; and so IL
happened that he missed many OF the
peculiar scenes that were enacted, and
which would have shocked his rather
prim sense OF official propriety and digni
w, and he was all the more scandalized
when he peeped through the blind.
al agree with the Judge when he says
that for three hundred and iitty-tivc days
he keeps house, and the other ten insane
asylums," he was saying to himself rs h"
gave the horse his supper before gong IN.
And who would not have boon shock
cd, not having been present, and not I'M
Outstanding the situation, to sec IN elder
" and ordinarily digniticd gentleman
trying to balance himself while standing
in the centre of large library table? lie
was gesticulatipg violently in the en-
deavor to make himself heard, ~ he read
from an ancient law. book, which no re-
tanned in his hand with great difficulty,
and was surrounded bya shouting multi
tude who would neither let him dIsmonnt
from his platform nor listen to his ora
ton.
The fury of tho mob subsidized little
on the doctors entrance, only Ia turn its
force on him, and dozen voices demand
cd:
"Isn't It cowardly in him to refuse,
doctor, when he understood the terms {
"Don't side with him, please, for he
can't come down until he promises, any
way"
This slight diversion gave the judge his
chance, and he proceeded to read the riot
proclamation in tho same solemn voice
that had carried terror into the ranks oil
the wicked many time in tho court
room. His face was picture oi judicial
earnestness ms he rchearsed the terrible
warning.
If YOU do not immediately disperse
and peaceably depart to your own hahl-
tstions, or to your lawful places of bust
ncss, you will be within an hour seized
and, if YOU resist, he killed without ben
eiit OF clergy God save the king!
But the disturbance was not So essiI y
put down. Instead of being seized. his
tormentcrs turned the table on the judge,
and hustled the poor victim on his wheel
Cd throne until he WAS glad 10 agree To
terms, in order 10 give time 10 explain
matters tn the doctor, who was elected
umpire, the condition being first enacted
bv the majority that the culprit be con-
fined To the table until decision was
reached.
IL seemed that a young lady from Ros-
ton, friend Of pretty Alice Cooper, had
been trying 10 introduce and explain
new game, which she called '1m-
promptu," and which was in high favor
IN her native city.
Now, in the nature Of things, new
game was great acquisition, As tho old
stock was exhausted, and the demand for
novelties lively. She explained to the
doctor in n voice trembling from the late
violent exercise: "You take two boxes or
hals-hats will do nicely. In one you
place the name Of every person present,
children and all, for the little ones makes
the best fun; then, for the other hat, you
write on like slips Of paper ss many SUBJ
jects for song, story, revolutionary
thing YOU chooses there are names.
Shake them well, aud let name I've
drawn from one hat and subject from
the other, one with the right hand and
the other with tho left, the person draw
ing being securely blihdfo'ded. Then q
story, song. or whatever, mast follow
from said person on said subject. lspesk
with emphasis, that the offender may un'
derstand. N.B.-Tickets not transtera'
BILE"
In the confusion OF cross-eNamination
it came out that Judge Cooper hsd been
delighted with the Idea OF the game, and
had commended it TO the girls rs giving
them a chance 70 show their quick wit;
h,t xshan his name vas drawn, followed