The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-10-30
AN OLD TIMER.
HOW THE JUDGE WAS RUINED By
THE VAR.
For The Constitution


The other day some little incident, or per-
haps some similarity of names, caused me to
think of my old friend, the Judge.
I had not thought of him in quarter of q
century or so, and it occurred 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, owning hun
dreds of slaves, little railroad, little steam
boat, and all that sort of thing. Hhe was still
alive it was likely that his name would in
some way have been brought to my notice.
The very day my thoughts had reverted to
the Judge matter of business made it neces-
sary for me to take q short trip on q river
steamer. 1t was fine weather, and the passen-
gers made the most of it by remaining on deck.
1t did not take long for me to decide that none
OF my fellow travellers were very interesting.
They were every day people, and their talk
was about every day topics.
Finally saw an old fellow coiled up in a
chair by himself looking modify out on the
river. He was attired in rusty suit of black
and wore SLOUGH hat. His face was the color
ofpaTchment, and he wore long, gray hair and
closely trimmed mustache. Suddenly my
eyes fell upon the ornaments dangling on his
watch chain. Again glanced at his FACET
was the Judge! There was no need to ask
single question. knew at once that my old
friend had story of disappointment and pri-
walton to tell if he would only tell it.
Eyes, 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 ?" commenced
ooh, you know I couldn't stand it," was the
reply. "When the war ended the Freedmen's
bureau ruined my niggers. I was expected to
pay, wages and reorganize my labor system. ]
couldn't do that, you know. Then L had to
pay taxes for the education of my former
slaves. Old creditors, too, began to press and
even sue me. Yes, by God, sir, they sued
mel"
~ murmured something about my surprise.
cit makes my blood boil" continued the
judge, ito talk about those times. Before the
war, you may remember, rascally trader once
threatened to sue me, but called ON him with
my gun, and talked to him in q reasonable
way q, few minutes, and he. offered
@ no fa al q 9Se t notes and U.n Slye
Well, sir, it is hard to believe, but after the
surrender this very fellow actually did sue,
and l 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 disguised and moved
out of the country
'.And what did you do then, judge
II moved down the river into town and re
umed the practice of my old profession
though l hadn't looked into law book in
twenty years"
"And what became of your son Tom? ''
There you touch a sore place." replied my
companion. "Tom always had queer ideas
for q boy Of mine. / advised him to learn a
profession, but he said that the new south did
not need professional men-needed workers
and all that sort of nonsense. warned the
boy that could not tolerate any radical ideas,
but he left my home and went off and learned
q trade"
"And what is he doing now?"
Il hate to say it, but he is down here in town
runs a machine shop or something"
It's he sncceeding?'
"Oh, yes, when q 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 worklnen,
and lives in the finest house in town"
81 live with him. the old man said, irrita-
bly,, after pause. "The truth is, there is no
money in the 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 Hving-I don't mean that we lack tile COM
forts of life, bnt the miserable, leveling princi-
pies of the Yankees have made their way
into my family, and even the new
fashions, and absurd notions of the north. You
see how dress, and you know that in the good
old times gentleman always wore the finest
OF black broadcloth Well, Tom wears bob
tailed coat, a derby hat, and dresses in all sorts
of colors. He wears his hat cropped close to
his head, like round-headed Puritan. The
girls are just as bad. They look as much un-
like our old-time southern ladies as anything
could possibly be-"
young people will accommodate themselves
to the fashions of the age" / suggested
THAT is all right within proper limits" was
the answer, "but we southerners ought not to
go over bodily to the enemy Why, sir, Tom
does not believe in states rights. He says that
we are nation, and that it is better to be an
American than q southerner. Tom has de-
generated. Do you know that he was instru-
mental in securing our present severe law
against dueling?"
II think he is right, Judge" remarked.
"Well, | don't. Gentlemen must have
way of settling their difficulties, and the old
system kept morals pure, made men high
minded and courteous. Now, everything is
different. Men treat each other rudely, and
there is no remedy"
'Any other points in your Indictment" /
asked.
Plenty more. The yankees even domi-
nate our kitchens. Imagine my surprise
when Tom introduced baked beans on his
tablel protested, but the ladies said they
liked them, and yielded. But one day, sir,
L raised a row. Something on the table
was the most internally smelling
stun that | ever came across.
/ inquired into it, and to nv unspeak-
able horror learned that it was Goldfish Itold
Tom that the line had to be drawn somewhere,
and after trying to laugh it off, know he felt
ashamed-he consented never to have the vile
stun cooked IN tne mouse again. Goldfish, sir
Think Ct it
There areother things about as bad Our
people are changing their pronunciation to
agree with the New York standard Some
OF our girls are marrying yankees
We are copying northern laws
Notice how our own young people walk these
days-they have the tinicky chipety-clip of the
New England yankees. They talk rapidly,
and and answer a mau CURLY. They don't
read the same old books. and they don't like
the same old plays In fashion politics, religion
and everything else they want the latest
yankee sensation"
Don't you wish you had kept your planta-
ton, Judge9"
mo sir, not bit of it, The Niger is abso-
lutely worthless-won't work, and cares for
nothing outside OF preaching and politics
But land here. Come and see us when you
can"
The old gentleman landed, and walked off
with n stately step.
The captain of tue boat sat down by me for
a moment.
"The old judge has lost his Grip" he said,
'he thinks he was ruined by the war"
"And wasn't hep
"No. sir. His own prejudices and methods
wound him up. Look at his son Tom-tlat
young man viii soon be millionaire and
senator. Then look at the success of some of
our older men. They accepted our new condi-
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