The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-08-10
JUDGE CEPHAS.

concourse OF colored people standing un-
der the famous oak at that place. Upon
approaching. and making inquiry /
learned that Uncle Cephas-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 | reached and mounted one of
the gnarled roots of the oak, / was en-
abled to overlook the sea of heads and
survey the court. On the safest corner OF
avery unsteady shuck frame was perched
the presiding magistrate, his ebony fore
head. which bowed back without limit
over his ball pate, covered with an ap-
propriate frown. The rest of the frame
held the six jurymen, who leaned against
Oh sat upon it according to each ones
confidence in its stability. The prisoner,
avagabondish 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 for 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 gwi' p~ussycute dis pus-
sun hyere in de shuck frame now speak
up er f'revtr hole his peace!" 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 conn
sci had wasted a good while fumbling
through his pockets in a perfunctory
manner
Mister Magistrate en- gener1nen OBJ de
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' iuties err freemuns en- Teller citi-
Eens."
"De gentermuns better not take quite
SIGH er big chip, en- chop er II closeter
to de line" put in the court.
"You am dissembled ~tergedder," con-
tinued the counsel. i'll no wise abashed,
'.hyere to see dat err pussun dat needs
jestice wess'n anybody in de succle er
my whole intelligence gifts hit. en- gifts er
plenny oh it, heaped up, sheken down,
Bquashed in en- runnin ober. En- ef-ef
de law didn' inquire dat some COMMISSIONS
must perceed out'n de mouf er de pussy
cutter, ev'y word dat would be necessary
would be, 'Hyere's Nickydemus en- OATS
de linn er grapevine" pointing to a stout
grapevine which lay on the frame near
the magistrate. ''Ev'body 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 um sideways, en- broke em cross
ways. en- broke um sloperdicler, IN broke
um puppendicler, ~uppendicler, downen-
dacier, en- r~oun'endicler twel he's nately
wo' um out to er FRAGILE.
But es de law do inquire some confu-
sions to perceed FUN de mouf er de pus-
sycuttin lyyer, / will perceed. Fustly,
who is dat in de shukk frame? Nicky-
demus Wagstaff! What Ia he excused
obj Ev'ything in God Ermighty's worl
'cep'n m theng, en- dat Is dom right.
Eben de biggis't Her 'twixt Roanoke en-
Tar river never excused him er dom dat.
Who'll come to yer houseen holler
tuD he'll make yer walk two miles from
yer work en- mebbe wade de crick, en-
den des want to borry 8 cents? Who en-
gan er thousin reasons why yer mus len
him er dollar, en- den turn roun en- gin
ten thonsan wy he ca pay 1t? Who en-
make de biggis' promus en- de Titles ker.
formence in de Nunited States? Who
en- outargyfy Daniel Webster hisseli
when he wants to git holt er yer thengs
en- den outargyfy him ergin when We,
tries to brek dat holt?
who 10 de lazis', lyinist, eatinis', out
iandishis', worryinis' niger avn dill
side OBJ de river? Who aggyvates on
isturbs de neighborhood till dey don
know dar heels from dar head? Ergir
l axes yer who owes ev'body In rwell
. miles er dis place err furder eft he ranges
fnrders Who en- looks into yer min er
ten ter minute how lawng it takas YEA
fnrxit dat las - cents he borrid, en- del
ntep right mp en- borry er nudder one
Nickydemus! En- now who ken be spar,
q bes an missed de lessa Nickydemusf
The magistrate. who for some tim
- besn extremely busy trimming tn
m1fslrsm The grapevine with his poci
nd twisting it into suppleness
49, pn~ssd and delivered the followin,
e@7ge:
sA1Geuf3emuns Cd de jury, you's hysar
anouSh to hang er whole cuppen tnpw
M fuIl er niggers. En- all I'm 6Okt
- II DIT pull'n FoddS Time putting