Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-09-28
$ A SPECIAL CODE.

mark, ike Gn0 req -l18n6 at the rear emu
of railway train-it Eliminates only
the path gone over. This may not be
the exact wording, the fine shading of
the profound thinker, but care not SO
much for his wording as for his idea,
not SO much for his shading as for his
truth. Swinging behind train which
at times rushes wild through my fancy
there is red light, and its dull rays
fall upon path gone over, one leading
out from a newspaper. One morning it
came out, broad in assertion, boastful
in big type, declaring that it had come
to stay, but ere the afternoon had come
a man whose political pull had put him
into the sheriff Office as a deputy stood
at the entrance Of the counting room
where nothing had been counted-tack
ing card on the door, driving single
nails into the sore breast of a once
buoyant hope Well, that was all there
was to the paper, and it wasn't much,
surely-an idle lesson learned at lazy
noon-but what followed was an ex-
perience l set out upon stroll down
through the cypress districts of west
Tennessee. The weather was charming,
pink June, and the sun set that even
ing with glow that promised romantic
adventure. Rain was pouring down a
week later, and romance was nowhere
in sight. I went to barn and lay in
the fodder to wait for it. Lightning
struck the barn, and I tumbled out,
stunned, scared half to death, and took
to my heels across meadow.
Some one cried stop, and then gun
went off. stopped, and man ran up
and arrested me- Lightning had set the
barn on fire, and Of course Twas accused
of it. / went with the man and stood
near while he swore out warrant for
my arrest and then acknowledged that
I was aware that was in custody. By
this time number Of furious citizens
had arrived, and I began to fear lest
they might not wait for the slow proc
esses of the law. My experience with
the daily newspaper had taught me
something of legal procedure, and 1
asked the justice if I might have {,
change of venue.
''What's that?' he asked.
''Thank you for change of venue,
said l.
This set them all a-laughing. I had
never asked for such thing before and
did not know the exact wording. I felt
sure that I couldn't miss it if I were
only polite But I did miss it and they
poked merciless jests at my ignorance.
After awhile court was called to order,
mirth was put aside; and I was told
that the charge against me was exceed
ingly serious; that I must defend my
self Or spend much of my future time
in prison. 81 have but very short de-
fense,'' said l. "The truth is that ]
didn't set fire to the barn. I had no
matches about me, and [ was too wet
when I went in there to set fire to any
thing. The things were set on fire by
lightning"
''We grant all that, you honor" re-
piled the man who had taken the prose-
cution of the case, ''but what right had
he in the barn? And besides let him
prove that the lightning would have
struck the barn if he hadn't been in
there To my certain knowledge, this
barn has been standing for the last 20
years, and can prove that it was never
struck before. 1t is we'll known in
science that certain people attract light
ming, and the law plainly says that dur
ing showers these people should keep
out Of barns. -
''Yes, SIR" answered lank man at
the rear end of the room.
''You studied science for number of
years, didn't your
"Iwas professor of it for long time,
SIR
well, can you tell by examination
lightning?"
81 ought to, sir, for was examiner
for this part of the state.'
"Will you please step up and examine
this man?''
with pleasure, sir -
He examined my hair, rubbed my
head and then shook his own. 81 should
say, sir, that this would be a mighty
dangerous man to be near while light
ming is flashing around. -
Then, Sir, in view of the fact that
this barn was never before struck by
lightning, would you be willing to give
it as your opinion that the prisoner was
the cause of the-well, We'll say acct
dent?''
81 certainly give that opinion, sir''
"Well, then, your honor" continued
the prosecutor, "there is but little more
to do. Of course this man cannot help
his unfortunate attraction for lightning;
but, then, neither can a mad dog help
being mad. I will now leave him to
you"
The justice sat gravely thinking. IT
am very sorry, said he, that such o
case has been brought before me- I did
not make the laws. I am simply serv
ant placed here to execute them. You
appear to be; u young man of promise,
and this arraignmen5 is exceedingly I'M
fortunate. Have you anything to say?''
had great deal to say. I told him
that l had. never heard Of such law;
that had been brought up almost TN
der the shadow of the state house; that
| had written UP many g police court,
and that didn believe had more OF
an attraction for lightning than any one
else.
He gravely shook his head. "7ou
perhaps did not know said Ire, "that
what is law in this part Of the state
may not be law in other parts. This di:
vision Of the state has a peculiar local
right, ceded to it at the time of the
Louisiana purchase. He had me there,
and / could say nothing. ''We get many
of our ideas from the French, and while
they may appear ridiculous to the more
Anglo-Saxon parts of the great common
wealth we-==-but there is 10 use arguing
with you. l may explain, however,
that persons convicted under the sclen-
tific code are not sent to the regular
state penitentiary, but to prison down
on Bayou Long 1t is a rough place,
and I regret to see you go there. but