The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1897-04-24

A MERCIFUL JUDGE.

Scene i'm the Opelousas Court
The Power of Simple Elo-
quence.
In the course of a conversation
an old member of the bar related to
representative of The Gazette a
short story that is both interesting
and pathetic. The occurrence
referred to will doubtless be remem-
bered By the older members of the
Opelousas bar. The lawyer, who
preferred not giving his name, re-
lated it to US as follows:
"Some time after the war was
called to Opelousas on legal bust
ness. 1t was few years after the
emancipation of the slaves and the
criminal dockets of the Louisiana
courts consisted Principally of &C
cusations of petty thefts committed
by the newly made colored citizens.
I was seated with the members of
the local bar, when the late George
w. Hudspeth ordered the sheriff to
open court. After the usual pre-
liminaries, an old negro, who had
grown white in the service of his
master, appeared at the bar of
justice and stood leaning against a
chair. He was about to be SEN
fenced for the larceny of a hog.
Judge Hudspeth asked the old
darby if he had anything to say be-
fore being sentenced. Thercupon,
the aged prisoner approached the
bench, and in a manner that carried
conviction, and in a tone of voice
which had the ring of truth in every
word uttered, addressed the court
substantially as follows:
'Massa George, you knowed old
Jack when he was a slave. You
know l was good niger. You
know l neber stole what belonged
to my master and to other white
folks. Because, in those days,
Massa George, we had plenty to
eat; but when those Yankees had
done made US free, had to work
to get something to eat for myself
and children. went to Mr.. B.
and l agreed to work in his field
and he would give meat and pro-
visions for my children to eat. I
worked we'll and hard for Mr..
B., and asked him for meat.
I told him my children was all hun
cry and had nothing to give 'em.
He didn't give me anything.
So on that night, my children was
crying for something to eat and I
was standing near the door OF my
cabin, when, as bad luck would
have it, a fat pig came running by.
I picked up an ak that was lying
near the steps and 1 said, Pig, you
b'long to Mr.. B and Mr..
B. has promised to feed me and
my children and he won't do it.
Then 1 struck the pig on the head
and 1 gave the meat to my children
who was nearly starving. This is
the truf, Massa George.
'Judge Hudspeth, who was con-
fident that the old niger had told
the truth, was visibly affected. AS
there we're many hog thieves at the
time, the judge had made up his
mind to give him a severe dose, but
he was SO much moved by the SIM
pie story Of the old negro, that he
ordered the sheriff to take the
prisoner to Jail and to bring him
into court the next morning.
"When the prisoner was returned
to court for sentence, the good and
humane judge said: Jack, you
have been convicted of hog steal
ing. The law must have its course.
My duty is to sentence you tor the
crime of larceny. I, therefore,
sentence you to confinement in the
parish Jail for the term of. .......
one hour! But Jack don't work
again for Mr.. B.
"When the judge spoke the negro
shook like a leaf, and when lie
heard the last part of the sentence,
he almost dropped on his knees and
cried out, Thank you, Massa
George"
Best of skill employed by Biossat,