The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-05-30
HIGHLY AM ED.
A Gentleman Who was too Big Fool to be Turned Loose on the Com
 mons

The injustice of the magistrates couIt is one of the stumbling blocks in the path leading to higher and more intel lectual form of human liberty. The jus tice of the peace is not willing enough to accept the statements made by innocent colored gentlemen who, unfortunately, are araigned before his court. The other day, Brocky Ali, whom we all know to be honest and eminently respectable, was clutched by the pitiless hand of legalired kidnap and was taken before Justice Graley.
 Brocky Alf," said the magistrate, "the warrant which was sworn out for your arrest saysthat you stole calf"
 Ali laughed. Dis do beat anything l neber seed in my lite" said he. "Neber seed de like, CT haw, haw. Elf CT pusson had CT told me dat white man wuz CT foolin' me, I wouldn't CT b7eebed him, CT haw, haw."
 "What's the matter ?" demanded the justice. "Are you crazy ?"
 Nor, sah, but i'se mighty nigh tiokied into de grabe. One foot on de aige now, CT haw, haw, haw. It am sich CT good joke dat I'se willin' ter furgib de white pusson, but he got me, oh, yas, he got me, CT haw, haw. heah de way it 'twuz, jedge wuz comin' laung de road, an seed a powerful fine calf ober in de lot. Allus wuz CT great 'mirer O fine cattle, SO stopped an looked ober de fence. Den dat white man come up an, CT haw, haw. Oh, jedge, l'se SO tickled dat kaint tell de joke"
 "Mr. Constable" said the justice, l reckon you'd better take him to jail and let him stay there until his fit of laughing wears away"
 "Hole on, jedge, jes wait CT mint, in- terposed the prisoner. "I1l try, sah, ter quiet myself, tell ken gin yer de facks in dis mighty 'strodinary case. Wall, l WIZ CT lookin' at de fine calf CT 'mirin' O his shape when dat white man come CT laung, CT haw, haw. won't laugh no mo-, jedge, ef I ken hep it but when all de eberdence is dun in bet vessel kain't hep rum openin' yer fine lookin' mout 'Whut yer doin' ? says de white man. Oh, sT, 'jes CT lookin' at dis beautiful head O cattle 'Whut will yer gin me fur him P says he. Bless yer soul would buy him in CT minnit but ain't go, de assets an liabilities s'l. 'Ain't yer name Brockey Af?' he axed. 'Dats whut it is,' 'plied.
 "Yessefs been doin' some mighty good work fur de dimooras party, ain't ya1'
 "Yas, sah, dat 1 has,
 An hah, de white man piled, 'dat's whut Eve heain, so nov wants yer ter take dis calf ez CT present rum me-
 Wall, jedge, 1 hopped obeT da, fence an tuck da, calf too quick, but law bless yer, hadn't mo- den got it home fore dar wuz CT man wid CT harrasin' piece O paper whut he got outen CT jedge's office. Now, sah, on de part O dat white man de whole thing wuz CT monstrous fine joke, an has been CT waitin' some time fur him ter come an git me outen dis fix but he doan' peer ter be comip' bery fas'.n
 "Do you know the mans name p the justice asked.
 Nor, sah, neber seed him beSo'.n
 "You know Captain Henderson, don't you -
 "Oh, yas, sah, mighty we'll"
 "Well, didn't you know that Captain Henderson owned the lot where you found the calf?'
 "YAs, sah, b7ebe did"
 "Then why did you think that the calf was the property of the man who came along and said thai you might have it ?" Huh p
 "You heard what said" "Yas, sah, suthin' bout CT cali, yas, sah-erbeut CT fine calf" %Whas made you take the cali, even though some one told you that you could have it, knowing as you did that it was in Captain Henderson's lotw "Who, mer
 @Yes, you"
 @Look heah, jedge, let us wsbe dis