The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-31
JUSTICE JOHNS COURT.
CASE OF ROMEO AND JULIET or
TO DATE.
He Jests at Ragged Pants Who Never
scnled Fence-A Number of DruDks
in the Police Court Yesterday.

Who would keep abreast OF truth.
Nothing could be more certain than
the fact that each day brings some reve-
lation of new truths. some new lights
that revive old pictures but to betray
their crudities, that recall ancient stories,
and recalling prove them entirely out
classed and not UP to date at all.
The homicldal purposes Of Richard iii.
and Claudlus; the siabbng prcpensities OF
Casca and Brutus; the jealous rage OF
Othello the trcachery of Iago; and the
love-making qualifications of Romeo, are
all right in their way, but they are not
UP 60 date, like the court Of Justice J0iin.
We do not have many Henrys, Edwards,
and CIarences to kill; no kings to sleep
in gardens with waiting ears for poisoned
draughts; no Caesars to beware the ides
Of March; no strawberry nand-
kerchiefs for Iago TO put up jobs with
Cassie about: and few fruit-treeS Tor
Romeos to cuddle up under and catch
their ladies' secrets out we have more
plentiful supply of blackjacks. knockout
drops" emancipation days. crooked ac-
quaintances back fences. and lilac bushes
than the world ever knew before, and they
are all up TO date In their refreshing
anu utlcclduie hlStloSuIFSs
The Montagues and Capuleis were no
doubt good people. They lived in fine
style. and had a plenty of servants. and
nurses galore and the nurse Of the
daughter Of the Capulets seemed to be
about as prying garrulOus and generally
useless as most nurses, VINO try to extend
time OF service unto the maturity OF their
charges. Yet she had all the neighbor-
hood boys spotted" and from the son
and heir Of old liberia. Petrucio. and even
20 Mr.. T. Montague himself. she could
give valuable information To MISS Juhet
Capulet az "A moments notice. lhese
folks" as Justice John would say may
have been all right in their day. put
they amt in II now
THE MODERN ROMEO.
George Harris. alias Skillet was
charged yesterday morning with attempt
ing the life OF Julia jefferson. by dis
charging at her "A pistol. containing pow
der and leaden bullets"
The night was all right. the pale moon
seemed half-dreamlng, recumbent on her
couch Of changeless cloud; the back gate
wac bolted. the dog was locked up In the
wood-shed. and through the noddlng mac
bushes the whispering night winds signed
In cadence as softly sweet as ever hod'eu
over Lumpkins Bottom.
George Harris, alias Skillet, paused
a rnoment i'm the alley (then Climbs lhe
fence and leaps down within the yaru''
"He tests at ragged pants who never
scaled a fence.
Julia Jefferson appears at the back
Window
But. SOFT What light through yonder
window breaks?
1t is the lamp. and julia has trimmed
the wick.
All. fair lady. II thou wouldst but blow
that ont,
For | have marked the window well, and
could do you up
Yet fear | much that by its radiance in
this yard
You might get on to me- II shouiu
Shoot
And. too. If 1t still burns the rooster
on yon fence .,.,-,.
VIII crow. and all the fowls Will think
that day has come
And some stray cop on mischlei man
ers bent, r,.
me in" -,
She sings, she rocks the crauie WIN "0'
She sews. I fain would speak TO her
and ask.
Whose buttons. love. in silence are you
sewing on? u,....u.
lila: oh. Harris. Harrisl Wherefore
art thou Harris?
Deny thy game and change thy haihe'
or. If thou wilt not, do but leave NY Sa'u'
And | will get another fellow
Harris: l take thee at thy word
But call me Shllle'' anu " '0''''
uenceforth l always will be Skillet.
I,lia. Nav. nay; what's in a name, ola
man? .,, &c.. a
A pan by any other name "ouiu i'S d.
well. ..,
7 can't stand Skillet swear won Z
rang, went skillets gun, and back INTO
the room fell Julia, but she was oh'y
frightened: the bullet hit the wall anu
woke the baby. -. 49,.
AZ hand. and caught the unloVerllke
Skillet as ne darted through the gate.
lie swore he did not shoot at her, ana as
he had not even hit the arge WINDOW
al close range. ne was discharged ana
oven after all. they may 90 out 10 some
| cemetery and mngle UP their corpses
among the Wondering slabs.
THE DAILY RECORD.
Daniel Il. williams (colored) was
charged with striking James gibson
son of Policeman Gibson. the aiialr
,ooI mace ON Sheer Hill, where Williams
a.. d,.oino, a well. lie charged that the
80 corercrated about the wen, threw
stones AT him and his diggers. several
-, .estised that Gibson threw no stones
80 OH Williams was tned 90 lie was
Attended by Attorney Barraua'
I.ouisa Burton negro woman was
charged with assaulting Lucy Bates anu
was fined 9. ,,.s s,r,o, ohser-
- ~ sunday liquor laws. there were
80 cases of DRINKS In the court yes
,arda,, than on any one day Tor weeks
The men charged with this offence
seemed to be i'm an unusually penitent
mood and although Justice John had
declared that the eligible list Of member
shin 10 his Swearing on" club was filled,
he stated that he would increase the
number by ten. ar / accept any OF the
anxious brethren who cared TO join.
Tom. Forrestan. Stanley Leber. ane
Charles Roach, all white accordingly
took the pledge for twelve months.
Phyllis Twyman. a negro woman, with
all the airs OF the new negro woman"
was charged with being drunk, and was
afforded a chance to join the "reformers.
She looked scornfully at the men, and
declared herself strong enough to stop
BY herself. II she wanted to-" Then she
went to Jail i'm default of the fine.
Russell Noel. r. II Smith. r.. II. Chill
dress. and John Sterndorf all paid fines
for being drunk.
MINOR CASES.
Addie Smith. who IS commonly known
as "Tndan Lucy" and who really looks
as If her claims as a direct descendant
from Pocahontas might be true, was
accused of attempting TO cut Lizzie John
son (cnloredl with q knife. She was fined