Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-08-04
JUDGE CEPHAS.

war to ride along the road past cold Pop
Castle" / observed a large and excited
coneourse Of colored people standing un-
der the famous oak at that place. Upon
approaching and making inquiry IL
learned that Uncle C~ephas-now Squire
Bolden-who, along with some others of
his race, had recently been appointed
magistrate, was about to hold his first
court.
Elbowing my way through the dense
crowd till 1 reached and mounted one Of
the gnarled roots of the oak, 1 was en-
abled to overlook the sea Of heads and
survey the court. On the safest corner of
avery unsteady shuck frame was erched
the presiding magistrate, his ebony fore
head, which bowed back without limit
over his ball pate, covered with an az
propriate frown. The rest Of tho frame
held the six jurymen, who leaned against
or sat upon it according TO each ones
confidence in its stability. The prisoner,
av~agabondish but harmless looking man,
on whose crow black face fright was i'm
printed in an ashy cast, was wrapped up
in ropes and placed in the middle Of the
shuck frame Tor safe keeping.
! had scarcely gained my position and
taken in the surroundings when the court
opened.
DE court am now adjourned en- viii
perceed TO bizness," cried Uncle Cephas
in a loud voice as he removed his hat
and dropped it on the ground. LET
whomsomedever gwr pussycute dis pus-
sun hyere in de shuck frame now speak
up er frever hole his peacer' he contin-
ued with solemnity.
A young mulatto, the %smartness of
whose dress eliminated in a highly
glazed paper collar, slowly arose from
one Of the oak roots, cleared his throat
in the most approved legal fashion and
announced that he had been engaged to
conduct the prosecution.
"Well den. shoot, Luke, er give up de
gun" exclaimed the court after the coun-
sci had wasted a good while fumbling
through his pockets in a perfunctory
manner.
"Mister Magistrate en- genermen OBJ dc
jury" began the prosecutor after this
warning, you am dissembled tergedder
hyere dis purity day under dis blue sky
en- desc green leabes to deform one er de
highes' juties err freemuns en- Teller citi-
zens."
ode gentermuns better not take quite
SIGH er big chip, en- chop er II c~loseter
to de line" put in the court.
"You am dissembled te~rgedder," con-
tinued the counsel, in no wise abashed,
'hyere to sec dat er pussun dat needs
jestice wess'n anybody in de succle er
my whole intelligence gifts hit, en- gifts er
plenny OBJ it, heaped mp, sheken down,
squashed in en- runnin ober. En- ef-ef
de law didn' inquire dat some c~onfusions
must perceed out'n de mouf er de pussy
cutter, ev'y word dat would be necessary
would be, Hyere's Nickydemus en- dat's
de linn er grapevine ." pointing to a stout
grapevine which lay on the frame near
the magistrate. "EY'boly knows he's
done broke ev'y law dat been made sence
dey fust started to maxim laws, sides all
sights en- stacks un um dat nebber al
been made. He's broke um straight way,
en- broke un sideways, en- broke EN- cross
ways, en- broke um sloperdicler, en- broke
um puppendicler, u%ppendicler, downen-
dicler, en- r~oun'endicler twel he's nately
wo' uIn out to en- fragile.
But es de law do inquire some confu-
sions 20 perceed FUN de-mouf er de pus-
sycuttin lyyer, l win perceed. Fustly,
who is dat in do shukk frame2 Nicky-
demus Wagstaff! What is no excused
OBJ? Ey'ything In God E~rmighty's worl
'cep'n M theng, Ell dat is dom right,
Eben do biggis't lier 'twixt Roanoke On
Tar river never excused him er dom dat,
Who'll come to yer house en- holler
tull he'll make yer walk two miles from
yer work en- mebbe wade de crick, en-
den des want to borry o cents? Who en-
gin or thousin reasons why yer mus len
him er dollar, en- den turn roun en- gin
ten thousan wy he ca pay it2 Who en-
make de biggis' promus en- de Titles ker-
formence in de Nunited States? Who
en- outargyfy Daniel Webster hisseli
when no wants to git holt or yer thengsi
en- den outargyfy him ergin when yeI
tries to bre'k dat hclt?
"Who is de lazis', lyinist, %eatinis', out.
landishis', worryinis' niger avn di.
side OBJ de river? Who ~aggyvates en-
'sturbs de n~eighborhood till dey don
know dar heels from dar headl Ergin
/ axes yer who yves ev'body IN twell
miles er dis place er furder ef he ranges
furder2 Who en- looks into yer min en-
tell ter minute how lawng it takes yer
furgit dat las % cents he borrid, en- den
step right up en- berry er nudder onei
Nickydemusl En- now who ken bespar'j
de bes en- missed dc less? Nickydemusl'
The magistrate, who for some time
had been extremely busy trimming the
knots from the grapevine with his peck.
etknife and twisting it into suppleness,
now paused and delivered tho following
charge;
"Gentlemuns oh do jury, you's hyeard
ernough TO hang er whole cuppon Cow
penn full er niggors. En- all I'm got "a
say Is dat pull'n Fodder Time putnigl