The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-01-15
! THE TRIAL AT
|; "OLD pop CASTLE"

Happening soon after the close of
the war to ride along the road past
f'Old Pop Castle" l observed a
large and excited concourse of col
ored people standing under the IA
NOUS oak at that place.
Upon approaching and making
inquiry [ learned that Uncle Ce-
phas, now Squire Bolden, who, along
with some others Of his race, had
recently been appointed magistrate,
was about to hold his first court.
Elbowing my way through the
dense crowd till | reached and
mounted one Of the gnarlcd roots
Of the oak, I was enabled TO over
look the sea of heads and survey
the court.
On the safest corner Of a very I'M
steady shuck frame was perched
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 jurymen, who leaned against or
sat upon it, according to each ones
6nf6ence IL its stability.
The prisoner, a vagabondish but
. harmless looking man, on whose
crow black face fright was imprint
ed in an ashy cast, was wrapped w
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 adjourned en-
will perceed to bizness,'' cried I'm
Gle Cephas in a loud voice as he re
moved his hat and dropped it on the
ground. "Let whomsomedever gWi'
pussycute dis pussun hyere in de
shuck frame now speak up er f'rever
hole his peace!" he continued, with
solemnity.
A young mulatto, the smartness
of whose dress eliminated in a high
" glazed paper collar, 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.
'Well, den, shoot, Luke, er give
up de gum exclaimed the court
after the counsel had wasted a good
While fumbling through his pockets
In a perfunctory manner.
"Mistah Magistrate en- genermen
Oh de jury" began the prosecutor
after this warming, 'Fyou am dissem-
bled tergedder hyere dis purity day
under dis blue sky Ell desc green
leabes to deform one er de highes'
juties er freemuns en- Teller citi-
zens."
''De gentermuns better not take
quite sich er big chip en- chop er
H'l' closeter to de line" put in the
court.
'|You am dissembled tergedder,"
continued the counsel, in no way
abashed, "hyere to see dat er Dus-
sun dat needs jestice wess'n any
body in de succle er my whole in
teIigence gifts it en- gifts er plenny
oh it, heaped up, sheken down,
squashed in en- runnin' ober.
CEN ef-ef de law didn' inquire
dat some confusions must perceed
out'n de mouf er de pussycuter
ev'y word dat would be necessary
would be, 'Hyere's Nickydemus en-
OATS de linn er grapevine, point
ing to a stout grapevine which lay
on the frame near the magistrate.
"Ev'body knows he's done broke
-ev'v law dat been made sence dey
fust started to maxim laws, sides
all sights en- stacks IN UNI dat neb-
Der "a been made. He's broke I'm
straight way, en- broke UNI sideways,
en- broke UNI crossways, en- broke
um sIoperdicler, en- broke UNI 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
Commissions to perceed fun de mouf
er de pussycuttin' lyyer | will per
coed. Fustly, who is dat in de
shuk frame? Nickydemus Wag-
staff! What is he excused OBJ? Ev'y-
thing in God Ermighty's worl'
'cep'n one theng, en- dat is dom
right. Eben de biggis' liar 'twixt
Roanoke en- Tar river never excused
him er dom dat.
who'll come to yer house en-
holler tull he'll make yer walk two
miles from yer work en- mebbe wade
de crick en- den des want to borry 5
cents?
'Who Gu gin er thousan' reasons
why yer mus len him er dollar en-
den turn roun' en- gin ten thousan'