The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-05-17

candidate, ana he believed that Tart was
not, as matter Of fact, old enough to
fill the statutory requirements for the
Office, the law stating that no man should
be eligible who had not attained the age
of IS years.
So Paddock decided to make person
al investigation. He was not of re-
igious turn of mind, but he made up as
q Methodist Episcopal clergyman in
search of health and wended his way
down into the country where young
Taft's parents lived.
He fetched up at the old folks home
in the country about dusk and hitched
his horse. He told them who he was
and asked if he might stay there over
night Missouri hospitality is generally
understood from the southern hotel
down to the humblest cot.
Paddock was invited to come right in
and make himself at home. He had a
good, honest supper and chatted on cheer
fully with the elder Tafts till bedtime,
and then the old lady brought him a
Bible to read chapter from. This was
what he had come for.
Paddock saw right away that there
was no family record in that Bible, and
so he said he could not read such fine
print as that. Old man Taft asked him
if he used glasses. Yes. he used glasses,
but he had left his own somewhere or
other, he said. So the old man offered
his, but they did not fit. Then the old
lady brought hers out, but they didn't
help him.
It was long time before he succeeded
in making them bring out the family
Bible with large print, but at last they
did so. He looked slowly through it for
suitable chapter, keeping his eye out
for the family record. When he found
the place for it, he turned cold to the
ends of his toes, for it had been torn out.
He read chapter, but his heart was
not in it, and if ever a hollow mockery
of prayer was constructed very likely
Paddock did it on that occasion. He
went home the next day and hired out
on farm at $13 per month and found.
From politics the conversation grad
ually drifted into discussion of courts
and justice as it is generally ladled out
in our glorious republic. Mr.. Hawley
Smith then told of a long trial in his
state where q prominent embezzler who
stood high in felonious circles was in
dicted on q counts, having been busily
robbing the bank and the depositors,
widows and orphans, servant girls and
old people for 10 years.
The trial was continued and adjourn
ed. put over and the venue changed, to-
gether with all the other smart things
known to lawyers who are being well
paid, until finally, in spite of time and
eternity, both of which had been pretty
well consumed, the jury, greatly to the
surprise of the court, found the defend
ant guilty on the whole ~ indictments.
The evidence was all that way, of course,
but the case had been on hand so long
that the judge did not think defendant
would be found guilty.
He was therefore thunderstruck when
the verdict came in. He said that he
would take the matter under advisement
for "a hours before passing sentence.
After the time had expired the judge
took his seat on the wool sack, wearing a
clean collar and look of almost angelic
purity.
The bailiff opened the court, and the
judge took fresh chew of navy tobacco.
prisoner at the barr he said, adjust
ing his artificial teeth so that he could
speak more firmly, IAN impartial jury
of your countrymen have, after long
and tedious trial upon this Indictment,
which, id fact, covers the other 26 as