The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-11-08
AN OLD TIMER.
HOW THE JUDGE WAS RUINED
BY THE WAR.


Sh ort but Spicy.
The other day some little incident
or perhaps some similarity of names
caused me to think of my old friend
the Judge.
[ had not thought of him in a
quarter of century or 50, and it oc-
Cured to me that he must be dead.
Before the war he had been one of
the wealthiest and most prominent
planters on the Alabama river, own
ing hundreds of slaves, little rail-
road, little steamboat, and all that
sort of things. If he was still alive
it was likely that his name would IL
some way have been brought to my
notice.
The very day my thoughts had re
verted TO the Judge matter of bust
ness made it necessary for me to take
short trip on river steamer. 1t
was fine weather, and the passengers
made the most of it by remaining on
deck. 1t did not take Ion tor me to
decide that none Of my fellow travel
ers were very interesting. They were
every day people, and their talk was
about every day topics.
Finally [ saw an old fellow coiled
up in chair by himselflooking mood
lily out on the river He was attired
in rusty suit of black and wore a
slouch hat His face was the color Of
parchment, and he wore long, gray
hair and a closely trimmed rnustache.
Suddenly my eyes fell upon the orna-
ments dangling on his watch chain.
Again glanced at his FACET was
the Judge! There was no use to ask
single question. | knew at once
shat my old friend had story of dis
appointment and privation to tell, if
he would only tell it.
eyes, I sold my plantation" said
the Judge, after l had made myself
known to him, "sold the steamboat,
sold everything and began life anew" ;"
"But why ?" I commenced.
"Oh. you know l couldn't stand it, :"
was the reply. "When the war end
ed the Freedmen's bureau ruined by
niggers. l was expected to pay wag
es and reorganize my labor system. [
couldn't do that, you know. Then 7,
had to pay taxes for the education
my former slaves. Old creditors, too
began to to press and even sue me. Yes,
by God, sir they sued mel'
81 murmured something about my
surprise.
'sIt makes my blood boil" contin
ued the Judge, "to talk about those
times. Before the war, you may re-
member, rascally trader once threat
ened to sue me, but called on him
with my gun, and talked to him in a
reasonable way few minutes, and he
offered to take new notes, and give me
all the time / wanted Well, sir, it
Is hard to believe, but after the sur
render this fellow actually did sue, and
I couldn't get at him with my gun.
We were under the military and the
niggers. and it was useless for me to
kick That was only the beginning.
I got disgusted and moved out of the
country"
''And what did you do then, judge ?''
81 moved down the river into town
aud resumed the practice of my old
profession, though l hadn't looked in
to law book in twenty years"
|,
Tom ?"
''There you touch a sore place. %
replied my companion. "Tom always
haC. queer ideas for boy of mine.
advised him to learn profession, but
he said that the new south did not
need professional men-needed work
ers and all that sort of nonsense, l
warned the boy that could not tol
crate any radical ideas, but he left
nv home and went off and learned a
trade"
"And what is he doing now %
81 hate to say it, but he is down
here In towp-runs machine shop or
something"
is he succeeding?
"Oh, yes, when a gentleman lowers
himself, and goes to work like those
yankees it is easy enough for him to
succeed. The fact is, he is making
money, employs host of workmen,
and lives in the finest house in town"
"I live with him." the old man said
irritably, after a pause. ''The truth
is, there is no money in law now, and
the women wanted to live with Tom,
SO had to go, of course
"I must pay Tom VISIT said.
"Certainly answered the Judge
"but you must be prepared for sad
changes in our style of living-I don't
mean that we lack the comforts oi
life, but the miserable, leveling prin-
ciples of the Yankees have made their
way into my family, and even the new
fashions, and absurd notions of the
north. You see how I dress, and you
know that in the good old times g
gentleman always wore the finest o.
BLACK broadcloth. Well, Tom wears
q bob tailed coat, derby hat, anG
dresses in al sorts of colors. He
wears his hat cropped close to hi'
head, Slike round headed Puritan
The girls are just as bad. They look
as much unlike our old-time southern
ladies az anything can possibly be-
young people will accommodate
themselves to the fashions of the age,
I suggested.
That s all right within prope,
limits,D was the answer, "but The
soesherners ought not to go over
bodily to the enemy Why, sir, Ton
does not believe in States rights HI
says that we are nation, and that i