Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-07-03
Che family Circle.
A Court Better than a Fight.

ONC VAIN tO"u wv
l WAS passing through that pleasant, quiet,
old fashioned quater Of the city OF Nv
York which used 10 be called the village
of Greenwich. saw before me on the
sidewalk half dozen boys surrounding
two others, who stood up braveIy toward
each other, nearly in the fashion of two
chickens expecting to fight. but not quite
ready to begin. The smaller boy held one
hand behind him. and in that hand was II
whip. AS [ al preached, the larger boy
looked at me nestatingly. and finally said :
"Say, mister, won't you make him give
me my Whip"
49, Faint his; it's mine"
Hrreupon there was nearly an outbreak
of hostiities.
{" Here said to myself, is the old
Tor eighteen centuries. Is it possible TO
substitute Il peaceful arblrament tor II free
fght?"
l looked around upon the crowd of boys,
for by this time some fifteen or w enty had
gathered about. They looked at me curl
nusly, as if wondering whether | would
interfere, and what sort of Il fist | should
make of it in quelling the combat
Well" said !. addressing myself to
The two boys il the center of the ring, " if
you want to settle your question rs boys
generally do, You will have to fight it out
Yourselves; but if you want to settle it as
men settle such cases, will help you. But
if you want me to settle it, you must in
the first place agree to do just rs l say.
You must abide by my decision"
=.
this, fearing that the decision would be
against him; but finally both promised
did not think that it would do to rest
on the promise alone. 1t would be Il good
joke il should investigate the case. and
command the possessor of the whip TO
give ii up. and then the rogue should take
W his heels with the whipaud laugh al me-
So told the boys that when men chose
II Judge to decide claims 10 property, they
also chose IL sheriff to attend The court anu
execute the judgment. I'VE must also
have sheriff. ;
looked around the circle of boys, who
were all attending to the proceedings with
eagerness. saw IL stout, good.natured,
plurky looking lad, size or two larger
than the combatants. | asked him if he
would be sheriff.
YES sir, I'll be sheriff"
every good" said l., Whatever l
decide you must make 'em obey. If say
he must give up the whip, you must make
him do it, t Ike it away from MIN il he
won't. And if | say that he is to keep the
whip you must protect him, and not let
the other boys take it away from him
You are not to do any thing cruel, or ugly.
or brutal. | choose you becau>e you are
II good natured looking boy, and | do not
think that you would abuse your power.
But you must make 'em obey.
BY this lime quite il crowd of boys had
arrived ON the scene, and clustered abou,
The sheriif's hands doubled themselves III
mo fists, and could see his elbows NOV
ing rs he edged himself forward, as if his
dignity and authority required II little
more room.
Yes. sir, I'll do it, said he.
Then asked for the story of the whip,
and all the boys began to talk ut once
Finally we settled it that it would be far
to let The boy who claimed the whip tell
his story the first.
:" It's my whip l made it, and | lost
it; and he stole 1t. Give it up to me-"
This last he said to the other boy, with
II gesture that would no doubt have been II
blow or grab had not the sheriff been on
hand.
Then, in answer 10 my inquiry, the
other boy said:
1t is my whip, l found it, and it be.
longs to me-"
Next we called for witnesses, and boy
| in tho c.il tf,t h l,,i,
1t is his whip, sir. He made it, and
his fi,her gave him the lash Rumney
and some other boys were playing with il
last night. and they threw it over the fence
into this boys area" pointing to the pos.
SCISSOR Of the whip.
Yes. there, where found it," said the
latter, in my fathers area. and it belongs
to me-"
There were no witnesses to the contrary
of this; so the facts were made plain.
explained to the boys that u thing be
longed to the person who made ii if ht
made it of his own materials, because il
was produced Ivy his time, and skill, ant
ingenuity. If he lost ii, it did not ceast
/ to be his. If another found it he had ;
right to take possession of it, and keep il
from everybody but the true owner, bul II.
soon rs the true owner appeared the find
er must give it up.
so my decision is" concluded turn
ing to the possessor, that you must Civ,
up the whip"
The boy clutched the whip little tighter
and heSitated; first he looked ut me, ther
he looked at the sheriff, then ut the whip
hen, with the one eye on the sheriff, and
with the most comical EXPIRE sion on hi,
face, lie gave up the whip.
The boys laughed, and the court aG.
journed