News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1902-03-26

and a great bowl Of steaming gumbo
prepared by Dede's wife Che had no
negroes) and glasses and pitchers of
hot rum spiced by Dede himself.
| Around the board were DR.. De Roux,
Aristides Portvie, Fulgence Jadot, Mar
tin Brille, Alice Robelin Homer Tit
bout, Norbert Cazebat and Tibource
i Pratjean. The last was swarthy, big
jawed, low browed man, short and
| broad shouldered, a lawyer who in the
| last election had been an unsuccessful
candidate for the judgeship. His rest
less black eyes, small and set close to-
| gether, hooked nose and twitching lips
over an assertive chin revealed the spir-
| it and faculties suited to further the
! purposes of Quillebert. The outer doors
were locked and windows barred. Nine
! saddled horses stood under the long
low shed at the rear of the cabaret in
closure.
Listen, Constant" said Pratjean.
''In the court | shall say the plaintiff
was born a slave; his master never
emancipated him. Emancipation must
be express; it cannot be inferred from
conduct Born a slave, never emahci-
pated, whence got he the right to sue
and stand in judgment! Answer me
that! First, the question, Has he the
right to sue? If you can answer yes to
that, only then the second question,
ownership vel non. If you must an
swer no, then, though M. Qulllebert
owns him not, the plaintiff is out of
court and cannot be heard. No right,
no suit; that's all.
THAT'S sou came from his auditors
In enthusiastic chorus.
"Softly! Softly! Not so fast!' eX-
claimed Quillebert, humping the table
with his glass. "All that fine logic
may do for the day of trial or it may
not. The judge truckles to the Ameri-
cans too much for my taste"
"He does" assented Pratjean.
HTherefore" Quillebert continued,
1--WE would be fools to run to him. Slow
is the word. Delay, postpone, put off,
tire them out, threadbare the case,
starve it, 50 that when 1t finally gets
into court it must be carried on lit
ter. You can do that, eh, Tibource"
That is my forte" the lawyer an
swered, chuckling.
MEANWHILE" Quillebert went on,
"prove to your neighbors, your wives
aud daughters that it is all an aboli-
ton trick; that the people are being be-
trayed by this Dragging American and
the aping lowland creoles. Why, that
Latiolais girl is already ashamed to
sneak French in company"
"Bahr calculated three of the listen
ers and spat on the floor.
when the true French get to under
stand rightly what this case means,
Oakfell will not have courage to try it,
or, if he does, the judge will not dare
to decide in favor of the negro" guile
bert emphasized this forecast with a
noisy blow from his fist upon the table.
But, Constant" De ROuX inquired,
what abost Leon in all this delay?"
81 have considered that" Quillebert
replied. "The rascal has gone, spirited
away, of course, by Oakfell | tracked
him to the steamboat wood pile on the
Atchafalaya near SimSn0rt and will
hunt for him no farther. If win this
case. ] will sue Oakfell for $4,000
damages for abducting my jockey and
$4,000 more for defaming me. will
teach him what it is to threaten
Frenchman with lynch law. And old
Latiolais shall weep a bucketful Of
tears for the meddling of his pearly
granddaughter, for | hold $4,000 Of his
notes."
AYE. vi vi! Leonidas be hanged!'
cried Dede, and the glasses clattered
approval.
so you see there is fine campaign,
with spoils for you, Tibource," said
Quillebert.
And planned with the skill of a
general" the lawyer declared. his mean
little eyes sparkling, while his tongue
caressed the jumping lips.
And now" - Quillebert produced
notebook and pencil - (which of you
has heard Leon admit he was my
slave?
Il at the race track" answered ia
dot. Brille and Titbout.
And at the church." said Portvie.
land I"-Dede's utterance was thick
and his pose unsteady - right here
with me-"
Never mind, Dede; you can be spared,
but the rest of you will remember this
when called as witnesses at court" he
said to the others, writing in his note
book.
I'VE will, sure, sure, sure" they prom
Used, and he returned the book to his
pocket.
"Bonw said Quillebert. "Fulgence,
tell old grandpere to let you have
that gun, and l will pay him for it
next Thursday. Aristides, come to me
and sign a new note at one
year. I'll give you the old one and not
count the interest. Martin, you can
come and drive those two sows home
any time after tomorrow. Homer, tell
Tatin to pay your taxes and bring the
receipt to me, and have pretty sill
yer cross for your little girl Felice.
FIJI your glasses, my friends. 1t is late.
Dede, have you the TASKS ready, as l
wisbedW
UINvoru oDo fi1II oork oil oD5 I'm tho