Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-09-27

Morgan, Brig. Gen. @. >. n, took a
notion, with a select party offriends,
/. to make horseback excursioalhrough
the Hoosisr and Buckeye Stktee.
We didn't feel particularly hospi.
table Just then 10 such visitt.-we
ON the north side of the Ohio; and
quickly as the telegraph sprsad the
news every man and boy. ableto car
~ fOwling-pisce or sous nl-riile,
hurried to the nearest point At which
his services might be needed to rspsl
the intrudsrs.
Fast as recruits poured in they
were formed into companies and bat
talions under officers improvised for
the occasion-the writer having the
honor to be an orderly sergeant, in
which capacity he served for several
days and nights. It wasn't his fault,
and should, he tanks, detract nothing
from his modicum of merit, that it
was the finest of July weather the
while, pleasanter out Of doors than in,
or that the enemy had the discretion
not to come in his way. AT any rate.
he has never demanded bsck-psy or
bounty for his services.
But it wasn't military autobio-
graphy we sat down to write, but Joe
Duskin's story, which he told US as
we lay in camp one night.
"Boys, did I never tell you bout
the time I sot onto a jury with Bile
Bope?" asked Joe. taking swig out Of
the company demJohn.
"No," We answered.
Would you like 10 hear it2" said
he. ave may be in our CORY beds
tomorrow night, an naver hev
another opportunity"
He was invited to proceed.
"Bije, you see, continued Joe, twas
jest leetle the contrariest overbesr-
inest, crank-headedest cuss that ever
ruftled commoonity's temper. He
had Bluebearded three wives to death,
an he'd just tackled fourth. In fact.
the honeymoon was har'ly over
though I guess there was more vine
gar n honey into it-when Bile an
passel more on us was yanked up afore
Judge Grimm to serve onto a jury.
"In ev'ry case we tried We stood
'leven to one, an Bile was the one
The jedge got mad at last, and thrait-
ened, in the next case that come up,
he'd keep us at it tell we did agree.
at was one of them pesky boss
swappin cases. Bill Banter d put off
onto Hi Greene a sor'l critter with a
false eye an a artificial tail. The eye
was found laying into the msnger
one mornin an the furst time the hoss
got wet his tail come onglued an
drapt of.
1.-THE evidence showed that Hid
been partic'lar to ak about the eyes,
an Bill d said the animal had as good
a eye as the next boss. Bill, howso-
ever, offered to prove that the next
hoss to his'n, at the time, was stone
blind, but the court ruled that out.
"Aftsr a ssarchin' charge from the
ledge, we retired to our room, his
Honor fust admonishin' US that ef we
didn't agree this time, he'd make an
example on us to all futur' juries.
at looked like plain case, most on
us thought, an we'd strong hopse that,
for onc't, Bile would listen to reason.
But the fust vote we took showed how
fur we was out in out reck min.
'Leveu on us stood for giEin' the plain
tit damidges, but Bile was unanimous
for the defendant, an said he be drot
eff he didn't eat his boots afore he'd
cave.
1--WE tried to argY with him; insist
"a that IL was a clear case Of fraud;
an called attention to thestrong pints
in the jedge's charge.
"But Bile had his own views. He
said Bill d only said the hoss he'd a
good eye. which couldn't t be constrooed
as meanin' two good eyes; while, in
regards of the tail. nothing d been
said, nary way; an where there was
no warrantee, 9 mans eyes was his
market. He said that was good hoss-
law. an he knowed it, an did not care
continental what the jedge said.
So we lowered over n over it tell
we was tired, but no use; Bile still
hung out.
When the court let out the judge
ordered rs to be took to supper, an
then to be locked up tell morning.
| don't want to dwell onto tbs
missriss O. that night. We worried
through somehow tell court took NJ
next morning, when the jedge he'd u
brung out, looking for all the wOrlt