The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-01-10
PRODUCED THE EVIDENCE.
Words Failed, But When the Bottle Came Forth, All Doubt Disappeared.

Old Judge McTeal, whom, years ago, the harvester gathered and stored away in the great barn of eternity, was one of Arkansaw's first circuit riders of the law. There were only two circuits in the state, and the log houses in which the grand and petit juries assembled, were often a weeks journey apart. The natives were all anxious to see judge, believing him to be a man of great stature and an intellect from which but few scraps of inform ation were kept hidden. McTeai was rather a small man, with mottled complexion and nose which seemed to have caught the lingering rays of an autumn sun.
 One day while riding along toward Bent Shank courthouse, he lost the "blazed .trail," wandered for time in the woods and finally came upon a small cabin built of round logs. He was in the act of drawing long breath, pre- paratory to lusty "helloa," when he was startled by the swelling notes of hymn which suddenly arose. Nothing more quickly revives the memory of sacred teachings than song of religious praise bursting upon an unexpectant ear, and the judge, being man of orthodox faith, was thankful that in such wild place he had found men who were en- deavoring to walk in the footsteps of Peter and Paul. When he entered, the congregation stopped singing and looked at him. The preacher, who stood with his elbows resting on tall slab bench, gazed at him intently and said:
 "Thar seems to be disturbin' element in the fold. Stranger, whut mout be your bus'ness?"
 The judge, who was embarrassed to see that his presence had wrought such a change, replied that having lost his way he had come upon the house, and finding that religious services were being held, had entered, glad of the opportunity to indulge his appetite for worship.
 "We halter be mighty keerful, podner," rejoined the preacher. "You mout be a true seeker airer the straight an narrow path, but then agin you moutent. To tell you the truth an it's one O my habits to be plain-I don't like the way you've got yourself rigged up. We don't put on no style out here, an we don't see why honest man aughter put on them sorter duds. What mout be your business. podner ?"
 "I am the newly appointed judge of this circuit"
 The preacher and the con ngregation laughed. The idea of such small man being judge was inconsistent with the peoples preconceived estimate of such a dignisary.
 "Look here, pedner," said the preacher, throwing one leg over the bench, putting one hand under his chin and showing out his whiskers until they pointed at the judge, i've ain't all pro- fessors O larnin', an it mout take us some time to cal'clate eclipse O the sun, moon an stairs, but thar's a right smart sprinklin' O hoss sense 'mungst us. A judge, eh ?" Pulling back his whiskers, the prea.her discharged mouthful of ambier and nodded at the judge as though he would clinch his last remark.
 Gentlemen, you are of course en- titled to your own opinions" said the jurist, "but we will wave all that aside. Please proceed with your devotional ex- ercises."
 "No," replied the preacher, Eve are about through now"
 "I hope that my presence has not caused you to give up performance so laudable."
 @Talks like judge, dinged if he don't" said red-headed deacon, slowly shaking his head as though wassring between a continuation of disbelief and conviction that the judge had spokea the truth.
 "Yas," replied the preacher, "but talk is easy. Ell was to slick up little an 20 into strange neighborhood an' give the folks few lines Q my best con- versation, wy they'd think that 1 had writ 'rithmetic or been speaker Q the legislatur."
 Although the judges pride to some ex-