The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-03-05
EClL COUNTY, MD. FRIDAY, MARCH J. 1897. NO. 26

"Why, Sir, In the fulfllment ol
my duty, in serving warrant or
the persons of Mrs. Helen Darby
her husband, and son, Timon Darby
together with all aiders and abetters
in the indiscriminate and wanton
slaughter of Thomas Fletcher's
stock, / have been assaulted by
that lady and her associates in a
wanton and outrageous manner"
"Ah, is it possiblen' said Mr..
Greenberry, with a smile, when the
little sheriff had let off this ebul-
lition of his ire "and you and the
hag have come to rupture at last!
Why you used to be as confiding
as pickpockets, and then she was
reported as one of the finest women
in the world! Strange such a
breach between fast friends should
have happened so suddenlyW
The cold and Indifferent manner
in which Mr.. Greenberry viewed
this heinous outrage of the law, in
the officers opinion, was to Stuyve-
SAINTS wounded pride, like a lash
laid upon old scores. His towering
passion rose to such a pitch as to
effectually overpower the little dig
nitary, and it was some minutes be-
fore he was able to give vent in
words, to the whirlwind of excite
ment that racked his soul.
Mrs. Darly had so captivated
the confidence of the little sheriff,
by playing to his whims and flat
tering his vanity, that he had talked
of her as one of the finest women
beneath the sun, to the disparage-
ment of all her enemies-whose
name was legion-being every
peaceably inclined person, whose
fate or fortune offered this evil
spirit an opportunity of picking a
quarrel with. Mr.. Greenberry, as
a matter of course, came in for a
large share of this virulence, so in
dustriously circulated by the hag
and her machinators, and the
august sheriff, not being altogether
scot-free of this dirty work, Henry
Greenberry, in spite of his better
judgement, felt not little amused
and avenged by the Christening and
wellmerited hagellating-to use no
harsher term--this termagant had
given the public functionary.
The little great man at length
having recovered his equilibrium
of temper, in some measure, re-
sumed the denunciations in his
wonted florid style.
"Sir, in pursuance of my duty
under the obligation of my oath of
Office, | know no friends. Sir, a
strict conformity to the letter of the
law has, regardless of personal con
sequences, ever been my invariable
method of transacting business,
during my capacity of a public
servant; and the enormity cf the
outrage, in the present instance,
precedes any future eveny of the
kind that has ever come within the
range of my observation. A less
heinous offence, sir, against the
constitution and sovereign people
of England brought Charles Stuart
to the block. A crime of far less
magnitude dethroned and beheaded
Louis of France! Sir, if such in
suits to the majesty of the law, if
such wanton outrages against the
honor and dignity of the State, are
regarded as matters in Indifference,
what, sir, must be the inevitable
and awful consequences? What,
sir, has harbingered the downfall
of Kingdoms and republics that have
passed away but the disregard of
law and order? But, sir, this affair
shall not end here. BY the
majesty of the State, and my
sacred oath of Office, this first at
tempted defilement of the law shall
be made an example and fearful
warning to all law-breakers hence
forth. lam now summoning a posse
to take into custody this scoffer of
law and justice, despite her and
her minions; and ere bate one ,jot
of my lawful prosecution of this
fragrant insult to the public, Mrs.
Darly, with all those concerned in
the rebellion, shall be arraigned
before tribunal of her peers, there
to be tried and adjudged for the
eXpiatiOn of her unparalleled offence
against law and order"
Thus ending his bubble harangue,
the valiant sheriff drew pistol
from his pocket, and deposited it
on bench beside him, with hard
slap, looking round at the same
time to see the effect it had upon
the company.
Ernest picked up the weapon,
examined it, and said
"Why, Mr.. Stuyvesant, you have
lost your flint"
"Ah, sir, that accounts for its
missing fire when | attempted to
enforce the law, even at the risk of
blOodshed. | hadn't perceived the
cause of its failure till you discov-
cred it, sir. Wen have it replen-
ished with a new flint" replied
the little sheriff.
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