The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1897-03-04
EXECRABLE LAW.


Nevertheless she loosened her grip on the
prisoners collar, and he, squirming from
underneath her heavy hand. fed for the
woods with the speed of an antelope.
1.-The court is forthwith adjourned, sine
die announced Colonel Ben, rising from
his seat ON the back porch steps.
The colonel had been called forth by
perfect storm of utilization that ragged
In the kitchen, which was built, in old
Virginia style, at considerable distance
from the mansion.
Checking his impulse to swear at the
cook and add fuel to the flames, "a smile
stole over his weather beaten features.
The other members of the family had
been drawn to the spot-Jerry, Thomas
and pretty DEusilla, who carried the keys
and spoke when she please. .
They found the earthquake and wind
storm in full blast. Tempe, the cook, was
framed in the doorway, brandishing fry
ing pan in one hand, with the other insert
ed in the collar of long liInbcd, shambling
youth, who was scuf1ling desperately to get
loose
hands from the field who had come in to
dinner and We're too much interested to
think of food all talking at once.
The excited group struggled up to the
foot of the steps, and there Colonel Ben
waved his hand.
Silence ALL
Now, Tempe, you may have first go
and state your grievance, and then the
prisoner, whom L recognize as Eugene,
can defend himself -
Eyes, sir. aim guine tell no lie bout
it. guine give you de facts what dis hyer
vilyun Ujeem's done done and Billy dar-
Billy my witness
Billy came to the front, and shifting his
weight upon the right leg, very proud of
H. TO hoe
noticed, blinked like a frog in the sun
shine.
''Dish yer Ujeems he done stolt my huss-
buns pistol, which he done buy way out
yonder in Happystraw, crost de seas in
New York. pay his cash money for, an
moufharps aim good huff for Ujeems, an
he got to set hisself up wild a corjeen,
which he solt dat pistol my hussbun done
yearn de cash money for so he kin buy dat
corjeen, which Billy dar is my witness, an
de Lord in hebben know he cyarn play de
moufharp good my little Sally Ann"
"Kin nowr' from Eugene, who could
endure much, but not such insult as the
last.
Don't interrupt, Eugene" said the
colonel. eve will listen to you presently"
81 aim guine tell no lie bout it, - cried
Tempe, beginning again. My hussbun's
pistol is stolt solt for Il corjecn, which
dat Ujeens cyarn' grind mare chune out
er, an Billy is my witness, SO hep me
Cord! Amt dat so, Billy?'
Billy blinked affirmatively and stood
but the frmer on his right leg.
''An dish yer Ujeems''-Tcmpe gave
the prisoner a shake which made his teeth
chatter-"'he stOlt my hussbuns pistol an
solt it, an he took an shoot de African crow
often de top O. my Sunday bonnet. Me,
guine long de road to meetin house an
thinkin bout muffin tall, and AfficaE
crow which my hussbun gint 81 out de sto
in Happystraw crorst de seas, what he
wuk in de brickyard to yearn de lash
money for to buy pistols, an he SO kind an
good lennin dat vilyun de pistol, de reason
he SO gen ous an kind he amt got no
house an land like ter folks is dis day
Tempe was wound up like a clock and
kept right on with her injuries:
''An dish yer Ujeem' face black as de
fryin pan call hisself high larnt an turn
up his rusty nose at my hussbun an say he
dun went thoo nine Guffey readers an
whole endurin barrel of books he dun buy
at cotton dun read 'em all spang thoo,
an half 'em was Bibles. Dat so, Billy?''
Billy blinked his right eye.
"Now, he done stolt my hussbun's pis-
toll an shoot folks African crows off de-all's
bonnit which dat crow had red tail an yal-
Ter wings sorter sot up so.'' She placed
her arms akimbo. To do this she was
Obliged to loosen her grip on Eugene
Then was his time to escape, but though
present in body the fatuous youth was abb
sent IN mind.
cain dat so, Billy?'
Norm. One wing sot up mo- higher
dan de yuther wing said Billy.
There was a murmur among Temples
hackers at Billy's going back on her.
81 gwine set de law on him, prison
him, Jail himl'' screamed the virago. ode
law-de law Prosecute him wild de law
I gwine hab his blood ur his money!
'.That will do, Tempe. Now, Eugene,
what have you to say to rebuff these
charges?" said the colonel
81 ain nuver know muffin bout no pis-
toll. I ain lay my eye on pistol - de-
clared Eugene. 81 never know Gable had
pistol 1 kin prove it by Billy dar.
Billy shifted his weight to the other leg
and gazed in ruminative manner at the
trio of buzzards floating high up in the
blue.
A loud groan of disparagement rose
from the listeners, and Eugene saw he had
gone too far and made haste to weaken
his statement.
"Fo' Cord an de angels, de old rotten
pistol was broke whenst Gable lont it to
me, an Billy dar know it, an whenst I
turned it back to Gable de pistol was in
good order, an kin prove it by Billy dar. y
Billy stood now on the left leg and nod
Il.
IAN dat pine blank lie, bout cyarn'
play moufharp good as her Sally Ann, an
Billy dar he my witness Sally Ann cyarn'
play no NOR nuttin.''
''I'n mash your mout' with dis fryin
pan, belittlin my Sally Ann" screamed
the enraged Tempe. Il gwine by de law
de law!''
"Stop, Tempe" said the colonel. t'Eu-
gene admits that your husband lent him
dangerous weapon, and he being under
age, the law of Virginia. in handling the
crime of malicious assault upon private
property, includes your husband as parti-
ceps criminis, and if Eugene goes to Jail
Gabriel will go with him, Eugene being
an infant in the eyes of the law
"Great Lord il. hebben! Dish yer thing
yer calls law aim got no sense in itl'' yell
ed Tempe.
Again she loosened her grip on the pris-
oner's collar, and he fed to the woods at
breakneck speed, while the colonel remark
ed pensively: ''Well, we have had a free
show. Tempe there is out of bonnet, Ga
briel is out of pistol, and 1 am out of a
fine hoe hand, for he'll never come back
any more for fear of a spider in his dump
ling ''-E. NJ. de Jarnette in New Or
leans Times Democrat
Broke Him.
Fuddy-Pinch, who is to be married to-
day, had his bachelor dinner last night,
understand. Was it success?
Duddy-So much of a success that he Is
ton Transcript.