The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-10-06
THE JUDGE AND THE BABY.

A |
 The Old Colonel, in Atlanta Constitution.
 The judge of the county court was in trouble.
 He had adjourned his court, the iu- TOTS had gone home and he was lett alone with the sheriff. No-not entirely alone-a sallow- faced woman in a limp and faded gingham sunbonnet and limper and more faded homespun dress crouched down by the door of the court house with baby in her lap.
 The judge stepped outside for mo- ment and looked down the one strag- gling street which constituted the main thoroughfare Of Blue Rock.
 A dreary, drizzling rain was falling, and there was scarcely sign of life in the little village.
 "Jim!"
 In response to the call the sheriff followed the judge-he was big, tall fellow, with @ good natured face, and his shambling walk impressed one with an idea of his laziness and gen. eral incapacity.
 "Jim," said the judge, "Pll be durned if I know what to do with Sally Black"
 The sheriff hitched up his baggy jeans trousers and then scratched his head.
 "We're in fix, jedge," was his re- ply, and broad grin spread over his face.
 Undoubtedly the judge was in fix he knew that we'll enough without hearing from the sheriff. Sally Black had been convicted of vagrancy in his court, and he had sentenced her to six months imprisonment-a sentence which was to be carried out by knock. ing down the prisoner to the highest bidder.
 AS rule, the prisoners disposed of in this manner were negroes, and the farmers of the country were always ready to bid for them and put them to work on their plantations, where they were treated like the other field hands until their term of service ex- pired.
 The farmers around Blue Rock were simple minded, old fashioned set of people, and the county court in their eyes was not mill of criminal justice
 it was merely an agency through which they were supplied with labor CTS. They wanted Sally Black put through, as they expressed 1t, because she was the only regular tramp and beggar in the country-a good-for- nothing white woman, who had come from no one knew where, and was evil dently going to the devil. But when their wish was gratified when the forlorn woman in her rags and desolation had been tried, con- victed and sentenced, the honest coun- trymen slipped out of the courtroom with downcast faces and started home- ward. Sheriff Jim spent an hour on a stump in front of the temple of jus tice vainly endeavoripg to auction of his human merchandise, but nobody would offer bid. Of course it was no feeling of con- passion for Sally Black that held them back-it was the baby. "Billy Betts would take her, said the judge, coming out of a brown study. "I think, Jim, Fiji send you down to his house." "All right, jedge," answered Jim. His honor looked inside the door. Sally Black still eat on the floor lean- ing against the wall with her baby in her lap. She did not look up at the judges face, but the little girl did and began to laugh and crow in spasm of delight.
 The judge hastily beat . retreat. aJim,' he said, "you needn't go after Betts."
 "All right, jedge." "The fact is, Betts Is not the right sort to have . convict; he's . hard man-too rough, you know." "Jesso, jedge" "We'll lock her up in jail until to- morrow sid the other. The judge walked inside the court house and stopped down to tell the woman of his determination A pair of blue eyes flashed at him ] in riotous merriment, and . pair of