The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-01-14
Ben Mndwccd's idea.

man named Ben Mildweed walked
into the Office of Justice of the Peace.
IN Little Rock, and, taking off an old
siouch hat, addressed the dignifed of
fetal:
''Are you the court?"
Il am. What is your trouble?" Ben
betrayed agitation in the nervous man.
ner with which he fingered his old hat.
'Jedge, Nancy, my gal. hez bin run
nlng around with two or three men lately,
and hez caused me heap of oneasi-
ness.
Come to the point, Mr.. Mildweed, Z"
suggested the court.
You hear my story, Jedge. I'm sot
IN my ways, and III get thar quicker by
running my own furrow down this patch
of trouble
The Justice settled his feet comfortably
ON the table, and looked resignedly at
Mr.. Mildweed, who continued:
Nancy is the purtiest calico in Rich
woods, and we hez hitched for three
yers, not spliced, you know, but waitin'
for me to buy little bone. The men
down to the settlement are jealous be-
cause Nancy sot up to me, and they hang
round like blaclibirds in corn-patch. T"
Ben hitched up his pants and seemed re-
hctant to continue. Now, Nancy is n
good gal, and her black eyes has fetched
me, like churnin fotches butter, an she
ken make me IA good man or n bad man
for her sake. But, Jedge, she knows it,
and laughs and carries on with Bill Peters
when I'm round She goes to camp
meetin' with Hez Spilkirs, when L have
told her hundred times, that he was u
low-hung fellow, and she aggravates me
terrible"
Come to the point, Ben," said the
Court impatiently, lifting one leg over
the other.
I'm gettin' thar, your honor. Now,
old Uncle Marsh Turner and l. have
talked this matter over, and he SEES tibet
Nancy hesn't any attachment for me-
Thet like to broke my heat, Jedee, I'll
swow it did. SEES Uncle Marsh, Ben
ses he, 'hev you got an attachment fer
Nancy Yes, Uncle Marsh, ses L,
most powerful 'Hez she fer you?' ses
he. Il m dubious, uncle, ses l. Ben,
ses he, solemnly, EFF she cant luv you
with her whole hart. drap her like hot
cake. IF she hesn't an attachment fer
you tibet is strong, and true, and honest,
drap her. You'll be mis- able, boy I'm
an old man, Ben, and when l sees a
young man hev al attachment fer gal,
and she hesn t fer him as strong, l says
to myself, they is foolish. They hadn't
ought to splice"
"Your honor" continued Mr.. Mild
weed, carter Uncle Marsh ses all this to
me, / goes off and thinks. L concludes
that he is right, aud now hev come to
the point. saddled the old brown mare,
and put some bacon and corn-bread in
the saddle-bags, and started fer Little
Rock. / comes straight 10 you, ledge,
and | want YOU to make out an attach
ment fer Nancy to me. L knows that the
courts can make attachments, and don't
care what 1t costs. jest You make out
the papers, and Ill make the old brown
mare do some of the tallest travelling
gettin' back to Nancy tibet you ever saw.
Well, why don't you begin, Jodge?"
"Ihe courts don't make love attach
sments," said the Court, taking its legs
from the table
81 don't care what it costs, Jedge"
''You have mad long trip for nothing,
Ben; it cant be done.
Ben pulled his hat over his eyes, wiped
O trickling drop from his cheek, and
walked slowly toward the door, mutter-
ing:
"I'n go hev the brown mare fed and
study about it. 1 thought rs how the
court mought have done it, and then he
stepped from the Justice sSloor as if Nam
cy was lost to him forever. little Rock
[Jozeffe