The Worthington advance., 1882-05-18
JUDGE BROWN, Of GEORGIA.

JUDGE BROWN, Of GEORGIA.
| Captain Henry's misadventure recalls 4
story which went the round twenty-dv or
! thirty yeaIs ago. and is old enough 10
be new. It illustrates the embarrassment
which q glass too much sometimes ooca-
sions the best Of men. There lived In Gsor.
gis, says Col. Bradbury, whom Burton
! credits with the narrative, . circuit judge by
the name of Brown, s man Of ability, OF in
flexible integrity and beloved and respected
by all the legal profession. But he had one
fault: His social qualities would lead him,
| despite his judgment. into occasional cx-
habit, the night before opening court, to
get comfortably corned." II he couldn't
succeed while operating on bis own hook,
the members Of the bar would generally
turn in and help him.
1t was in the spring OF the year; taking
his wife In tho old fashioned carry-all, the
! judge .urneyed some forty miles aud
reached village where q court was 10 be
opened the next day. He took quarters
with relation Of his better hale, by whom
the presence Of IN official dignitary was
conf lered high honor. After supper he
strolled over 10 the only tavern in town,
where he found many old friends collected
to the place. on important professional bust.
ness. aud who were properly quad to meet
him.
Gentleman. said the judge. "tis quite
long time since We have erj 'yed q glass to.
eether-let US take drink all around. OF
course, Sterrltl addressing the landlord).
knva haitian hnl
| last time We we're here; the stuff you hnd
then as not ft to give to u do,."
Sterritt, who had charge of the house, pre-.
tended that everything was right, and so
they went to work. It is unnecessary to
enlarge upon a drinking bout in country
tavern-it will answer our purpose to state
that somewhere in tho region of midnight
the judge wended his very devious way TO-
wards his temporary home. About the
time he Was leaving, however, some young
er haristers, fond ct a practical" and not
! much afraid OF tho bench, transferred al
tho lver spoons Of Stenitt to the Judges
coat pocket.
It was eight o'clock Monday morning
when the judge rose. Having indulged in
the process OF ablutioo and abstertion, and
partAken OF a cheerful and refreshing break.
fast. he went to his room to prepare him.
se'f for the duties Vt the day.
We'll. Polly, he said to his wife, Il fell
muoh better than expected to feel after
that fro)ic OF last night"
"Ah, judge, said she reproachfully, "ycu
are getting too old-you ought to leave off
that business"
"Ah, Polly, what's the use Of talkiug?" It
! was at this precise moment that the judge,
! having put on his overcOAt. was proceediue.
accoroinR to his custom. to give his wife
parting kiss, that he happened. iu thrustine
| bis hands into his pocket, to lay hold Of
Sterritt's spoons. He iArked them out
With an expression OF horror, be ex-
claimed:
my God. Pol]y!"
| what on earth's tho matter. judge:"
Just look at those spoons!"
| Dear NE, where dye get them?"
| Get them! Don't you see the initials On
them?" extending them toward her. \
stole them!"
| "Stole them. judge?"
Yes, stole them!''
! My dear husband, it cant be possible!
! From whom?~
! From Sterritt, over there: his name is
On them"
! Good heavens, how could it happen?"
| Il know very we'll, Polly. Iwas very
drunk when I came home, wasn't II"
| why, judge, you know your old habit
%hen you get among those lawyers"
! But was very drunk?"
| Yes, you was.
! WAS remarkably drunk when cot
home. Ms Brown?"
Yes, judge, drunk as a fool, and forty
! times as stupid"
Il thought so," said the Judge, dropping
IN chair ia extreme despondenc7. II
| knew it would come to that, st last. have
always thought that something bad would
| happen to me- that should do something
! very wrong-kill somebody in moment of
passion. perhaps-but never imagined
| could be mean enough to be guilty Of de.
liberate larceny"
bat there may be some mistake.
Judge"
NO mistake, Polly. I know very we'll
how it all came about. That fellow. Ster-
ritt, keeps the meauest sor. Of LIQUOR. and
always did-l!quor mean enough to make
| man do any solt Of q mean thing. have
always said 1t was mean enough to make a
man steal, and now have a practical illus
tration Of the fact!" and the poor old man
burst into tears.
Don't be child, said his wife, wipine
| away the tears: go like a man over to Ster-
rltt. tell him it was q little bit of a frolic.
Pass it off as joke-go and open court.
and no one will ever think of it again"
little OF the soothing system operated
npon the judge. as such things usually do.
| His extreme modification was finally suo-
dued, and over to Sterritt's he went with a
| tolerav 10 face. OF course. he had but it,
tie difficulty in settling with him-for aside
from the TACT that the judges integrity was
| uuquesti0nable, Stelritt had an inklinp Of
the joke that had been played. The i1d.e
took his seat in court; but it was observed
that be was subdued and melancholy. and
that bis mind frequently wandered from
| the business before him. There was lack
OF the sense and Intelligence that usually
characterized his proceedings.
Several days passed and the business Of
'he court was drawing to q close, when one
morning tough citizen was arraigned on
charge Of stealing. After the C!erx
had read the indictment to him he put the
question::
Guilty or not guilty?"
Guilty. but drunk, ," answered tho pris-
| oner.
whats that plea?" exclaimed the iudee.
who was half DOING on the chair.
"Re pleads guilty, but Says ne was drunk. I.
replied the clerk.
What's the charge against the man7"
"He is indicted for grand larceny"
What's the case?"
May it please your honor, said tho pros
ecuting attorney, the man is regularly in.
dicted for stealing large sum from the
Columbus hotel"
He is, hey ? and he pleads"
! He pleads guilty, but drunk!"
The judge is now fully aroused.
Guilty, but drunk! That Is q most ex-
! traordinary plea. Young man, you are oer-
tain you were drunk2"
Yes, SIR"
Where did you get ycur iouor?"
"A: Sterritt's."
Did you get none nowhere else2"
Not drop. sir?"
You got drunk on his liquor. aud after
wards stole his money!"
| "Yes, air."
| "Mr. Prosecutor" said the JUDGE. "do
me ths favor to enter the nolle prose qai in
that mans case. That liq1or Of Sterri,t's
is mean enough to make man do anything
dirty. The court got drunk on it the other
day and stol all of Sterritt's spoons! Re-
lease the prisoner, Mr.. Sheriff; I adjourn
Can't. Henry haa tha advanfaoo IF &ha