The Brookhaven leader., 1883-10-25
A CASE IN POINT.

Olu Dill NdIHcN, HCAt w lsopii"'ii
Crusoc and the Arabian Nights, was
looked upon by the Youngsters as the
best repository of authentic history.
He had settled out there in the Miami
country when, instead of being, as now
,hc Garden spot Of the third State i'll the
Union. il was vast wilderness. un-
broken save by few scattered white
settIcmcnts, maintaining preCariouS
foothold against wild beasts, savagcs
and aruc. He could tell all about
Simon Kenton, Adam Poe, Big Foot
and the white renegade, Simon Girty,
hy the side of whom he considered
Judas Iscariot and Benedict Arnold
models OF fidelity and honor.
But il was the recital of his personal
adventures that gave us most pleasure
and him, too, it may be added,
He was very fond of attending our
debating club and frequently, after
both sides had exhausted the subject -
or their knowledge of it-.Old Bill
would be invited to close the exercises
with few remarks, on which occasion
he rarely failed to produce some pat
illustration from the archives of his
rich experience.
"Should capital punishment ever be
inflicted on rcumStantlal CVldcncer
was the question at one of our meet
ings.
The discussion had been long and
heated. and Old Bill had listened with
marked attention.
"Perhaps our old friend, here said
the chairman. when all the rest had
1 II &. l. L.;
Old Bill rose deliberately, placed his
'chip' hat, brim downwards, on the
Sccretarv's 5 table. thrust both hands into
the pockets of his tow-cloth trowsers,
ducked his head, and began:
"MR. CHEERMAN--Ivch hccr'd it re-
pcatcd ovcr'n over agin this eyenin', as
how circumstances, like figgers, won't t
lie.
Don't you put too much dependence
onto that, Mr.. Chccrman; for tell
Vo", both tiggcrS and circumstances ii
bar cloSt watchin'. | know sarcum-
stances will; for they oncet lied my
neck into the halter, an 'twarn't thar
fault Of it managed to Git out in time.
''Ef 'tain't out O order, Mr.. Cheer
man, I'll Jest nOratc the facks; for one
fack II knock the socks off n dozen
the rcs emmy day.
II hedn been out yer long from old
PcnnSvlvany, when one day, as | was
pccrin' roun on the hunt for nice bit
o land, what should light onto but a
buckskin puSs. as somebody drapt, with
awad o money into it?
Il seed no better way N TO put it
in my pocket, an try an find the own
cr: an the most likely place to git
wind on i'm | knowed was over at Jem
Whackctt' 's-which it was sort @
stoppin place for trav'l lcrs an loatin'-
place for the settlers. Jem called it a
tav ring, an KEEP a bar'l o. whiskey on
the porch, with ENTERTAINMENT
prcnted on the head.
Thar was big crowd at Jem's,
talkin' loud an egcited; but they all
stopt 5 soon s come in.
Time O day, gents says |, want
in to be sosh'b like; won't you all
take su'thin'?
"They all said they would, an they
KEEP thar word.
Il went to take out my puss to pay,
but, by mistake got holt o. the buck
skin one as I'd found. | slipt it back
quick, but not quick enough to dodge
Jem Whackitt's eyes. l didn' want to
mention tindn' afore ennybody aX'd;
Tor know'd thar was some in that
crowd ready to claim your very shadder
the minnit you turned your back on it.
''Jem waited till I'd paid for the
drinks, an then givin' a sort o semmy-
Sar clar wink that tuck in the crowd,
says he: You didn' see anythin' of a
well-dressed stranger a setback, did
you?'
No, didn't, says l.
"'Bill Varley,' says Jem, cockin' his
eye at me square, you've got to be
"'Which?' says I, DRAWN back.
You II soon see which, says he,
advancin', as somebody ketched my
arm.
- Hold i'm! hold 'im!' shouted Jem.
'hll I've sarcher. i'm! | tell you he's
got the proof, e5to inn
In a second all the hands thar was
onto me. and Jem went through my
pockets.
"'Yer It's! yer 'tisr he shouted
ine very puss l seed the stranger hev
iioinln an yer, ne Sald, Openln
1t, IS the very note l give i'm in
change when he paid for breakfas'
i my doubts of it when l tuck it of
Dode Burke lately, an so sot a privit
mark onto it,
~ found that puss not an hour ago,
oh! you did, did youP Yes-of
course, says Jem. 'Mebby you kin
egSplain as well how twas thet the
strangers critter was found roamin'
-oose N the woods, with blood onto the
Pommel o the saddle, an how big
tsp!otch o blood got onto the leaves not
tS tSr on' Mebby you kin egsplain all
mem damnifyin' circumstances con-
'iStent with somebody's innercence.'
I know nothin' about 'em,' says /.
hoOo course not says Jem. Now,
IIoss' says he, you've seed an heertl
me me proofs. All as is in favor of hangin'
,ne culperit, accordin' to Moses and the
prophets, II raise thar right hands
onr; loud a thought you was in ham
Nuiln tact'ry, to look up at that swarm