The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-03-25

who had again resumed his seat.
The younger continued the judge,
remained in the army until the battle Of
Ch:ckamaugs-
81 was thar, to ,, jedge, yes wus, till
/ got knocked out Of time. / was right
thar when L L,ngstreet sasheyed through
our lines and wal,zed down agin our left,
like a storm through the trees.
Everybody run, 'cept an Obi curnul. |
tell yer he was game 'un. He grab
bed his regimental colors,s and | and a
hull lot more fell in beside him. He
war good one, he wu., bully good
one, he wur, and we stood up thar aud
belted the Johnnies till a cannon ball
smashed the curnul's leg; then seed
'twur no use, and / just histed him On
my back and carried him till / found a
ambulance; he wus sll the time sayin
he'd rather be dead than to lose his col.
ors, and just cause he was good one
/ went back to git the colors. and me
and two Johnnies had tussle for um.
brought the curnul's colors back to him
and in the scrimmage l got this whact
across the head" The prisoner pushed
back his shaggy hair, and exposed lons
scar lengthwise of the top of his head
Yes got this yere, but the cunnu
got his colors, be did, and he give mi
his corps badge, and the next thing
knowed was IN Andersonville, but
kept the badge, and got 1t yet with hi,
name on it," Thrusting his hand amons
the tatters OF his coat the prisoner pro
duced a silver army corps badge. .,
While the prisoner was speaking Judg
Ihrie moved toward him; his counter
ance was now glowing with excitement
When the prisoner concluded the jaig
reached for tine badge, took it In hi
hand, looked at its reverse side, then b.
faced the jury again. "Gentlemen," b.
said, I have nearly done. AT Chicka
mauga that younger brother commanded
a regiment, an Ohio regiment"
"Wat, Jimmy my little kid! a kun
mel !" exclaimed the prisoner
"And there" added the Judge, 18th
younger brother lost leg!' at
Swat, little Jimmy!" the prisoner re
peated, "lost leg at Chickamauga ant
Bill near him. Poor little kid"
Then the jadge added: "Tbis young
er brother returned home unfit for fur
ther service, and bis kind neighborl
elected him judge. gentlemen" yer,
slowly he spoke now. II am that young
er brother-and this" laying his hant
on the prisoners shoulder-.sthis is tn
elder. And here (showing the badge
is my corps badge, with my name, Jane
Ihrie. on it. given on the field of Chicka
mauga."
The prisoner spraug to his feet, sprea,
wide open bis arms. from which his tat
ters hung down in stfeamers-"W OF
wot!" he exclaimed, "you! you Jimmy !!
Then he dropped his arms suddenly
"No no" he added slowly, shaking hi
head, "you ain't Jimmy2 Jimmy was
little kid! little kid-and you"
"Twenty-6ve years have gone away
and in twenty-five years one grows large
Yes, Bill, l am your brother, apd hav
no doubt it was you, my poor brother
who saved my lie and my colors a
Chickamauga. This is the badge l CAV,
my savior on that day and here is M
name James Inrie' engraved on its re
verse;"
Again the prisoner opened his up
lifted arms. JIMMY! little Jimmy Z
be exclaimed. A new light shone on th,
tramp's face. An hour before he wa
coarse, il not brutal. Now radiance o
something better gathered about the line
OF dissipation which marked his visage
His arms dropped down and be turn
ed to the jury. There were tears in hi
eyes and tremor in bis voice, which BIZ
coarse, harsh notes could not wholly con
ceal:
"Il's all CANNON, gentlemen! That
wot it is. I'm tramp! And he's
iedge, an hain't nuthin' ter him! He'
good 'un, he is! good 'un, and b,
hain't nutbin' to the tramp! nuthin'!
he wus Jimmy and was Bill, Bill woult
60 and kill hisself afore he'd sils hin
with q tramp. I'm Bill and he ain
jim! No, he hsiH't."
Turning his back to the judge he reso
lutely refused to look him In the face
The woman came and stood beside him
Her soft voice was sweet as the song o
scraphs.
"James," she said, .if be is you
brother he is my brother"
Then the tramp turned; he looked a
the woman, his big, round eyes full o
wonder and smazement.
Your brother ?" be said.
81 am James wife," she replied.
"Jimmy's wife! Little Jimmy's wife
You why your sngel, ma'am!
stole the coat! I wus cold. and stol
is! Do you hearp stole it, and ye
call me brother !"
"If you are my husbands brother
you are mine!" the woman repeated
slowly in the same musical tones, ant
she laid one hand on the tramp's shoul
der. ~
Then the man broke down. He fel
upon his seat, bowed his head in BIZ
hands and sobbed. A moment he sa
thus. then hesstood up; tears were yet il
his eyes, but there was an air of resolu
ton in his face not seen there before
He addressed himself FIRST to the judge
wife:
"This ur a fam, this ur, ma'am," b,
said; ga reg'lar fence, that's wat it ur
That jedge hain't nuthin' to me, ma'au
nuthin'! nuthin'. No. he hain't!
don't stand to reason. ma'am. He ur
jedge, and good un! bully good un
an I'm tramp; and he hain't nuthin
ter me! / never knowed him, ma'am
never! S'help me! / never know't
him! You stick ter him. He's goot
IN, be ar, and never know'd him. H,
ain't no brother ov mine. Do We hear
ma'amp l hain't his brother Bill. No
ma'am, l hain't. S'help me, l hain't
While saying this the prisoner studi
o1sly avoided Judge Ihrie's face.
The Judge limped toward him and lai
his hand on bis shoulder. "Bill," h
said. 1t was but one word. The tram
shivered as IL he was stricken with a
ague.
civilian, my poor brother, you wi
not deny u.s." the judges wife added
But "Bill" Hinkley responded nothing
only turned to the jury with q set loo
upon his face.