The Columbus journal., 1881-03-30
Written for the Journal.
A Learned Judge Outw itted. .
BY A. HEINRICH.

as very learned man, was relieved
of something valuable in a very
cunning manner. 1t happened on
this wise.
Walking up the courthouse steps,
arm i'm arm with a friend, the judge
felt for his watch 10 see if he was in
time. Gas usual" he said to his
friend, 81 have again left my watch
at home under my pillow" Pressing
through the crowd, the judge went
in and took his seat upon the bench.
During the forenoon an honest
looking man presented himself at
the door of the judges residence
asking for the sonora Qady Of the
house,. He carried under his arm
a very large and heavy turkey, and
when the lady appeared he told her
that his honor, the judge, having
bought this turkey on his way to
court from an Indian, had requested
him TO carry il to his house and had
kindly paid him for his trouble.
"His honor told me, too, the fellow
confused, ito ask the sonora to have
Che turkey prepared for dinner to-
morrow, as the Judge will bring
friend to dine with him. And also
he requests the sonora to be so good
aud send for bis watch to the bed
room as be had left il as usual under
his pillow" The good lady handed
him the judges watch and he left
with il.
AT the dinner table the Judge said
10 his wife:
"My dear, will you please send the
servant up after my watch? | left
il, as usual, under my pillow"
"Your watch! why, my dear, /
have sent that to you two,--three
hours ago." said she.
"Sent il to me? How? Ny dear,
by whom?"
"Why, by the man who brought
the turkey"
"What turkey?"
"Why the turkey you sent"
al did not send any turkey, nor
anything"
After the lady had explained, the
Judge said:
"Well, well; the watch is gone,
my dear. That fellow must have
caught my words as | told Judge
- that | had left it under my
pillow. But grieving will not bring
il back we have at lesst the turkey,
and | think | will do as the fellow
said, and will bring Judge - to
dinner tomorrow; so you had bet
ter have it well prepared, and we
will enjoy good dinner and try to
forget the loss of the watch for the
present. / say for the present, my
dear, for intend to have the fellow
caught who played that trick. am
pretty certain We will haye him
before we sit down to eat that tur-
key tomorrow"
But the Judge in his eagerness to
administer justice to the culprit had
counted the chickens before they
were hstched. That cunning fox
was going 10 catch the judges
chicken once more without being
caught himself.
The next forenoon the good sono-
rs was experimenting the prepars-
ton of that splendid turkey, in
person, seeing to the stuffing and
every other process that fowl had to
pass through as well as to all the
sccompanipents of it. The good
Judge was presiding in his court
room, and no doubt during an occa-
sional pause smacking his lips in
anticipation of the fine roast for
dinner. But alas for all human cal
culationsl While the business of
the court and of the kitchen was
slowly and surely progressing to its
close something happened which
showed clearly that somebody else
besides the judge had thought about
catching the thief. When dinner
was just about ready, when the fine
turkey was waiting in the oven, not
10 keep cool, but to keep warm, a
bareheaded individual presented
himself at the judges door. He was
the very picture of court clerk.
He wore rather seedy looking but
perfectly clean coat, had a somewhat
pale and thin face, and the quill
stuck behind his ear. The lady of
the house being called, he addressed
her very politely, but like one who
is exceedingly glad. "Senora," be
said, bowing deeply, "we have
caught the thief of his honor's watch.
The time-piece was found upon him.
He is about to be sentenced, but the
jury refuse to pronounce the verdict
because they want to see the turkey
first. So his honor has sent me TO
bring it, that they may see it before
IL is served upon the judges table"
What should the good lady do?
She placed the turkey on a platter
in basket, covered il up nicely and
handed it to the would-be clerk of
the court.
Ten minutes later the Judge came
with his friend, arm in arm, prone
nading toward his house.