The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-12-17
THE TRIAL Az
"OlD POP CASTLE 9

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Happening soon after the close Of
the war to ride along the road past
aOld Pop CASTLE" I observed a
large and excited concourse Of col
orcd people stsnding under the IA
nous oak at that place.
Upon approaching and making
INQUIRY I learned that Uncle Ce-
phas, now Squire Bolden, who, along
with some others Of ais race, had
recently been appointed magistrate,
WAS about to hold his first tourt.
Elbowing my way through the
dense crowd till I reached and
mounted one of the gnarled roots
Of the oak, 1 was enabled. to over
look the sea of heads and survey
the court
On the safest corner of very un-
steady shuck frame was perohed
the presiding magistrate, his ebony
forehead, which bowed back with
out limit over his ball pate, covered
with an appropriate frown,
The rest of the frame held the
six iurymen, who leaned against or
sat upon it, according to each ones
confidence in its stability.
The prisoner, yagabondish but
harmless looking man, on whose
crow black face fright was imprint
ed in an ashy cast, was wrapped up
in ropes and placed in the middle of
the shuck frame for safe keeping.
| had scarcely gained my posi-
ton and taken in the surroundings
when the court opened.
Ode court am now adjurned en-
will pcrceed to bizness," cried Un-
Gle Cephas in loud voice as he re-
moved his hat and dropped it Oh the
ground "Let whomsomedever gwi'
pussycute dis pnssun hyere in de
shuck frame now speak up er f'rever
hole his peace" he continued, with
solcmnity.
\ young mulatto, the smartness
of whose dress eliminated in high
ly glazed paper cellar, slowly arose
from one of the oak roots, cleared
his throat in the most approved
legal fashion and announced that
he had been engaged to conduct the
prosecution.
"Wcll, den, shoot, Luke, er give
up de gum" exclaimed the court
after the counsel mad wasted good
while fumbling through his pockets
in perfunctory manner.
"Slistah Magistrate en- genermen
OBJ de jury" began the prosecutor
after this warming, styou am dissem-
bled tergedder hyere dis purity day
under dis blue sky en- desc green
leabcs to deform one er de highes'
juties er freemuns en- feller citi-
zens." s-e
"De gentermuns better not take
quite sich er big chip en- chop er
li'P closeter to de line" put in the
court.
"You am dissembled tergedder,"
continued the counsel, in no way
abashed, "hyere to see dat, er pus-
sun dat needs jestice wess'n any
body in de succle er my whole in
telligence gifts it en- gifts er plenny
ob it, heaped up, sheken down,
squashed in en- runnin' ober.
cen ef-ef De law didn, inquire
dat some confusions must perceed
ouPn de mouf er de pussycuter
ev'y word dat would be necessary
would be, Hyere's Nickydemus en-
dat's de linn. er grapevine" point
Ing to q stout grapevine which lay
on the frame near the magistrate.
"Ev'body knows he's done broke
ev'y law dat been made eence dey
fust started to maxim laws, sides
all sights en- stacks un um dat neb-
Der "a been made. He's broke um
straight way, en- broke um sideways,
en- broke um crossways, en- broke
um sloperdicler, en- broke um pup
pendicler, uppendicler, downendic-
Ter, en- roun' 'endicler twel he's nate
~ wo' um out to er FRAGILE
but es de law do inquire some
confusions to perceed fun de mouf
er de pussycuttin' lyyer I will per-
ceed. Fustly, who is dat in de
shuk frame? Nickydemus Wag-
staff! What is he excused OBJ? Ev'y-
thing in God Ermighty's wcrl
cep'n one theng, en- dat is doin'
tight. Eben de biggis' liar 'twixt
Roanoke en- Tar river never excused
HIM er doin' dat.
who'll come TO yer house en-
hoiler tull he'll make yer walk two
miles from yer work en- mebbe wade
dc crick en- den des want to borry
cents? ~
,"Who en- gin er thousan' reasons
why yer mus lem him er dollar en-
aen turn roun' en- gin ten thousan'
wy he ca pay it?
Who c'n make de biggis' promus.
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