Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-11-24

and swept quick giarcer rrom pr1soner
to judge and jury.
The court Oriered chair for her In
side the bar, and when she had seated
herself remarked to her:
1--WE never knowed ef Mud were q
mar'd man, marin. Ef we had we'd
shorty hev waited this trial for ye."
"D' 70 mean to say yer've gorn n tried
this yer man for KILN mine, n me not
here ter seer Yer a nice kin O. er judge,
l mus say. WAL, ye kin jest 60 ter
tryin i'm rite over agin, now ! am
yere," and the widow settled comfort
ably back in her chair and took dip Of
snuff. The court. counsel, jury and
spectators were melted in a moment.
They were Missouriaus. almost to man,
and the lone touch Of nature" that snuff
dip awoke in them made them the
widows slaves for the moment. The
court, counsel and jury consulted for
few moments, and the judge intimated
to the widow that they had concluded
that her request was very natural, and
under the circumstances, very proper
one, and that with the prisoners con-
sent they would comply with it, but as
he had already been tried and found
guilty once, they thought it hardly fair
to him to try him again without his
consent.
Velvet arose, the eyes Of the throng
upon him. He was tall, slight, grace
full fellow, with swagger about him
that insensibly attracted men and wom-
en- alike, and with smile that showed
his white teeth under the black mus
tache, remarked that he was always de-
lighted to please lady, but that under
the circumstances he could not see any
thing to be gained by it. He had in fact
pleaded guilty in the first place, and all
that remained for the judge was to paes
sentence, but that as they had insisted
on trying him once to please themselves,
they might as well try him again to
please the lady. There was murmur
of approval at this sentiment from the
audience, which was sternly checked by
the court. The widow had been dipping
snuff and eying Velvet during his and
the courts remarks, and seemed to have
made up her mind to something she had
been considering, for she suddenly closed
her snuffbox with click, rose from her
chair and, turning to the court, said:
"Jedge, I'm the person what's bin
most hurt in this yer scrap. Pm lef o
lone woman, with nary man ter provide
fer me, an I've been Ell thinkin ther besl
way out O. this yer biznis is fer this man
what kilt my man ter git me or new
one." She stopped amid deathlike 81
lence. Velvet was the only man that
preserved his customary unruff1ed com
posure. Every other face wore an ex
preston Of Mortified astonishment for 6
moment, and then yell of delight wen
up from the crowd. The cool effrontery
of the woman had caught their sense Of
the fitness of things Here, in country
where woman most needed q mani
protection, her man had been taken from
her. What more just than that the mar
who had caused his taking off should re
place him! Tho racket subsidins, tn,
court gravely arose and said
"Pris'ner ct the bar, yer hev bin tried
n foun guilty Of murder. Hev yer any
thin ter say why ther sentence in thi
yer cote should not be past pom yer?
Velvet shook his head smilingly and tn
court continued: ether sentence of the
cote is thet yer shall marry this ye
woman, n the cote. ez jsstice, will til
yer up right nsw." At this there was
yell that fairly shook the roof, and tn
audience rushed inside the bar to shak
hands with the prospective bride ant
groom and offer congratulations, but tn
bride had something else to say first.
"Jedge,' she shrilled, "I've bin tell,
thet Mud wind q consid'ble ct gamblil
last night n l want ther money"
The coin and dust had been impound
ed by the court, and he reluctantl
turned it over to the widow. Afte
looking it over she slowed it away in
voluminous pocket, and announced he
readiness for the ceremony. The cour
sci for the prosecution and defense acte
as groomsmen, couple Of "ladies
from the "hurdy gurdy" next door a
bridesmaids, and the foreman of til
jury gave away the bride.
Surely such another wedding wa
never seen. The festivities lasted unit
the fiddler was completely exhausted
and when couple OF days later the Fla
recovered from its carouse, Velvet an
his wife had disappeared.
A few days later tall, swaggerlne
black mustached man, accompanied b
a woman dressed in rusty black, with a
immense sunbonnet covering her hea
and face, stood on the deck Of Panam
steamer making Its way down San Frar
cisco bay toward the Gate. They we1
at the rail gazing at the fast recedin
city. Suddenly the man snatched til
sunbonnet from the woman's head an
whirled it overheard, and as it foate
astern said:
"Goodby to the Widow Mud, and nov
old girl, we can be comfortable agail
The old bonnet served its turn, an
served it we'll, but can't look down tw
miles Of stovepipe every time | want
see your pretty face. George Charl'
Brooke in Buffalo News.