Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-17
THAT SHEEP CASE.
Learned and Eloquent Arguments in
Country Court of Justice.

Learned and Eloquent Arguments in
n Country Court of Justice.
From the Louisville Courier Journal.
There quite a gathering of people
at the old post office building in Starville.
There was going to be trial. Old men
and young men, all bringing their dogs,
and the rear end of the room packed with
all sizes of grnning darkies.
What is this trial about?" 1 asked as 1
hitched my horse A fellow with a long
chin and squint in his eye came up and
said: wy, you know, Lem Osborne cuses
jess Hudnell Nv stealin' one Nv his sheep.
Jess seq he didn't, an they're goin to law
hit a young lawyer from town is comm
cut to 'fend Jess, an ole Bob Bddles is
goin to persecute." l went in. The squire
before whom the case was to be tried sat
back of the letter boxes and stuck his
lace out of the hole where they passed
out the mail. They We're waiting for the
young lawyer. At last there came shout
from the outside, and Jess Hudnell came
in wearing a big smile on his face and
making room for the young lawyer, who
was self-important looking little fellow,
carrying two or three law books under his
arm.
The cas-, was called, witnesses were
Worn and examined, the young lawyer ask
ing great many useless questions and
OLD Bob Biddles, the native jaCk-legged
lawyer, dropping in a question now and
then. The bulk of the testimony seemed
to prove that Jess Hudnell drove the sheep
home and butchered it. When the wit
nesses had given in the testimony the
squire said: Like to argy the case, gents?"
Yes SIR said the young LAWYER "Whar
he leads 1 will foller," said old Bob. The
young lawyer went at the from all
points, quoted Blackstone and amazed the
court with his inexplicable technicalties,
ana as he came down to the finish he as
sLmed the spread eagle tone, and said:
Jess Hudnell steal a sheep? Look at
that calm and straightforward countenance.
those eyes which flash forth truth as glo-
rious as the glimmer of the sunset sky.
All, your honor, it was nothing but the ten
derness of a shepherds heart when Jess
Hudnell found that lost and wandering
sheep upon the highway and tenderly took
1t to his fold. The sheep strayed among
the cold and barren hills, and today its
bones lie bleaching in some dark recess of
natures realm. Steal a sheep? The wan
derlng wind stops and murmurs No Steal
sheep? The rocks in yonder glen that
have looked down generation after gen.
Grafton throw back the answer in thunder
lEg tones, No Steal a sheep? Ask the
wife and those sad-hearted children who
sit in yonder cottage awaiting the verdict
of this court, and their trembling lips
which know no guile answer No Steal
sheep? l ask your honor in his wisdom
and Judgment to put upon the record book
of this mans life, No."
me audience seemed to be very much
impressed and the squire nodded his ap-
prevail Of the speech through the mail hole
Old Bob Biddles took the floor and said:
Your honor, from the way that this young
man talks sheep, presume he has been to
college and got his sheepskn, the same
winch l haven't. but while he wur talkin'
L Wur wondern'- what sort of fee he wur
goin to git out of this case. an got to
thinkin' of the time when Joe Hanks and
Tim jackson wur layin claim to a mule
Joe went to town an brought out young
lawyer to defend his side, an they had the
mule at the cote house door-the onrest
lookin mule you ever saw. Well, the
young lawyer won the mule for Joe, an
after the trial he asked Joe to take him
BACK TO town. 1 amt got time, says joe
How in thunder am l goin' to git back?
says the lawyer You can ride the durn
mule an keep him fer your fee says Joe
an L reckon If this young Teller gifts Jess
out of this he'll give him the hide of that
sheep he stole. l don't know nothin' about
the glorious glimmer of truth. but | know
that when the old Thunderbolt of facts
busts in the skies 1t amt no to dodge,
an a whole bolt of it has hit Jess Hud-
reii. Steal a sheep? Want he seen driv-
in 1t home? What fold wur he seen driv-
IN II to? The same fold where he drove
Ike Jones pig. Steal sheep? Ask that
Old Niger who saw him skinnn' it, an
MS voice humps itself an says, Yes, sab
Steal sheep? Ask the breeze that waited
mutton smell all over the neighborhood. an
1t comes back an says, Yes, sah' Steal a
sheep? The bulk of the testimony says
Yes, sab. an l think your honor is bound
to say the same"
The squire came from behind the counter
and said: Il have listened to two elerkcnt
speeches. an under one he would be guilty,
an under the other he wouldn't. but not
Nlthstandin, the testimony after bein' con-
sidered IS not consistent with the equanim-
lily OF the law. an l lay the costs on both
gents an call it q compromise; thankin'
you fer attention, an askin' your support
at the next election, cote's adjourned