The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-10-29

you lazy rascal! He wants some ice
water. Get it ready at once, do you
I'm his doctor, and he's
not well. Here, fill this pitcher, and
take it to him. l will be preparing
some medicine while you're gone"
Half asleep, the darby did not notice
that the self-styled doctor had poured
white powder into the bottom of the
pitcher He filed it with water and
ice and started toward the door.
"'Scuse me, jedge, thst l don't hear
ye," he said, in frightened tone.
Hear me, Philo?" repeated the judge,
without glancing up. Tte was delight
fully absorbed in applying the decision
in tombstone versus Hayne to the case
in hand.
"Yaas, jedge," answered Philo, col
loquial for Philostratus. "Yere's de ice
water, an de doctor'll git around lively
with de medicine"
The judge was too intent on study to
notice Philo's rambling excuses. For
full minute the darby stood there,
tray in hand, before the judge looked
up absently and said:
"Oh, yes. l didn't want ice water,
but I'm obliged. 1t will taste good
Better go to bed, Philo."
The darky opened his eyes in aston
ishment, stared at bis employer mo-
ment and precipitately sought the
kitchen. There he met the cook-Sue
in great excitement.
"Wha' you done, you brack niggah? ?"
she exclaimed. Dat doctor man dom
see me snoozin' in de cornah, an he put
white stuff in the ice watah an light
out fore you jest gone an say fore I
could cotch him: Dat fixes the jedge
anyhow an dere you've been an give
de jedge pizen!"
With great gasp of fear Philo start
Sue. AS they stumbled in Judge Hol-
brook was putting an emptied glass
upon the table, He looked surprised at
their noise.
"Fo' de Lawd, jedge!" cried Philo,
Selling the glass and pitcher, you done
drink dat pizeD water? Oh, marcy,
jedge, say you done knowed all bout
it an trowed err stuff outn de winder.
l didn't know for shu', jedge. 1
fought he war de doctor Oh! OH"
The judge rose from his chair in as
constituent. The iurist stared an in
slant at his terrified servants, put his
hands gropingly to his eyes and fell
heavily to the floor.
1t was the morning after the Judge
study into the great contested will case.
| A physician stood by his bedside, while
Philo and Sue, mute with anxiety, lis
tened near by.
You are in no danger, Judge Hol-
brook" said the physician. There is
no need to worry. We've brought you
through all right. There isn't particle
of poison left in your system and if you
want to get up and walk around to-day
you can do so. And you can be perfect
! ly easy about Walton. He has been
| identified as the man who put the
| ~ - a. So, o+or and he iS now
I'm glad to hear it," was the Judges
reply. eff you will let me get up 1 will
go down to the court before the after
| noon session is over"
The physician interposed no obiec-
ton, further than to caution his pa
tlent not to overdo. The judge was per
| fectIy calm, and before leaving The
house he glanced over the papers he had
| been studying when the draug,ht of
| poison interrupted his labor. The Judge
! received cOngrat ulations graveIv, and
when he had taken his seat on the
bench other business was suspended to
hear what he had to say.
Last night" he began, and every-
| body supposed he was about to refer to
the attempt to kill him, 81 took the
| papers in the case of Teliafer and others
versus Walton. I gave them careful
study in order to free myself from anv
sympathetic interests with the con-
testants and to determine the strict
bearing of the law upon the points at
issue. Because of certain circum-
stances, personal to myself. I cannot
render now complete opinion in writ
ing. as had intended to do at this time
This deficiency I will make up at an
early day.
AZ present, however, can announce
nay decision IN brief, which is that the
law clearly shows the defendant Wal
ton to be fully and indisputably en-
TITLED. to the estate of Josiah Teliafer.
aud Judgment is accordingly rendered
for the defendant"
Judge Holbrool1 was very pale as he
pronounced these words. and the
crowded courtroom was as silent as if a
funeral Grafton was heing delivered.
The judge himself was the first to break
the silence as he rose from his chair to
leave the place.
At that moment there was commo-
ton at the door. A flushed, excited
man came in and edged his wav to
where the county sheriff sat. There
was whispered message. and then the
sheriff rose with startled air and
said:
Your honor, I am credibly informed
that the defendant Walton has hanged
himself IN bis cell and is now dead"
Judge Holbrook never stirred for A.
full minute. while all eyes were fast
ened upon him. His face flushed and
his eyes gliatened. At last he said:
I'm that case I shall write out an
opinion upon which my recent decision
was based and deliver it to the court at
an early day. This event. however. will