The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-05-27
JUDGE CEPHAS.

Happening soon after the close of the
war to ride along the road past 'Old Pop
Castle observed a large and excited
~concouTse Of colored people standing I'M
der tie famous oak at that place. Upon
approaching and making inquiry !
learned that Uncle Cerhas-now Squire
Bollcn-who. along with some'others of
his rec, Lad recently been appointed
maei.tTa.e. YES about 20 hold his first
court.
Llhowiay my Wy through the dense
crowd til Reached and mounted one of
the gn&ric1 roots CT the oak, l was en-
ablai . overlook tie sea Of heads and
survey the court. On the safest corner of
avery unsteady shuck frame was perched
the presiding magistrate, lis ebony fore
head. which bowed back without limit
over his ball pate. covered with an ap-
proCriate frown. The rest Of the frame
held the SIX jurymen, who leaned against
or sat upon it according to each ones
confidence in It's stability. The prisoner,
avaSabondish but harmless looking man,
on whose crow black face fright was i'm
printed IL an aSay cast. Nas wrapped up
in ropes and placed in tie middle of the
shuck frame for safe keeping.
l had scarcely Gained NY position and
taken II the surroundings when the court
opened.
DE court am now a1jurnei en- will
perceed to bizness," cried Uncle Cephas
in q loud voice IS he removed his hat
and dropped it on the ground. Let
whomsomeaeycr SwI' p~ussycute dis pus-
sun hyere in de shuck frame now speak
up er frever hole his peace!" he contin-
ued with ~solemnity.
4 young mulatto, the a~lnartncss of
whose dress eliminated in a highly
glazed paper collar, slowly arose from
n of the oak roots, cleared his throat
in the most approved le99l fashion and
announced that he had been engaged to
conduct the prosecution.
well den, shoot, Luke, er give up dc
gun exclaimed the court after The coun.
sci had wasted q good while fumblins
through his pockets Ill a p~erfunctory
manner
"Mister Magistrate en- genermen OBJ de
jury" began the prosecutor after this
warning, you am disseElblcd tergedder
hyere dis purity day under dis blue sky
en- desc green leabes to deform one er dc
highes' juties er freemuns en- felier 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 tergedder," con
tinued the counsel, in no wise abashed,
''hyere to see 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 up, sheken down,
squashed in en- runnin ODER. En- EFF
de law didn' inquire dat some Commissions
must perceed outn de mouf err 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
lone 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 UNI straight way,
en- broke UNI sideways, en- broke EN- cross
ways, en- broke um sloperdicler, en- broke
UNI p~uppendicler, uppendicler, downen-
dicler, en- roun'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, l will perceed. Fustly,
who is dat in de shukk frame? Nicky-
demus Wagstaff! What is he excused
OBJ? Ev'ything in God Ermighty's worl
'cep'n n theng, en- dat is doin right.
Eben de biggis't lier 'twixt Roanoke Ell
Tar river never excused him er doin dat.
who'll come to yer house en- boiler
tull he'll make yer walk two miles from
yer work en- mebbe wade de crick, en-
den des want to borry 5 cents? Who c'n
gin er thousin reasons why yer mus len
him er dollar, en- den turn roun en- gin
ten thousan wy he ca pay it? Who c,n
make de biggis' promus Ell de Titles ker-
formenee in de Nunited States? Who
en- outargyfy Daniel Webster hisself
when he wants to git holt err yer thengs,
Ell den outargyfy him ergin when yer
tries to bre.k dat holt?
"Who is de lazis', lyinist, ~eatinis', out
landishis', worryinis' niger avn dis
side OBJ de river? Who aggyvates en-
'sturbs de neighborhood till dey dom
KNOW dar heels from dar head? Ergin