The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-02-24
ENTIRELY 4
L JUSTIFIABLE
BY Eve williams Malone
Copyright. fscs. bb fhe
s. y. Mcf7Hrr rompnnu

Brother Hankins was up before Jus
tice Bradbury for assault and batter.
Brother Hankins. who had alway,
considered ''going to court as the mex
step toward a trip to the neither re-
gions-
Yet 1t was perfectly evident from tn,
proof that Brother Hnnkins was guilt,
of the charge brought against him
that he had assaulted Deacon El.
Smith The deacon's manifold and
manifest personal defacements proved
the facts. and the oaths Of various wit
nesses clinched the proof.
Brother Hankins' counsel sought to
establish the plea that there were piti
eating circumstances. and Brother
Hankins was allowed to take the stand
In his own behalf. He pulled his fore
top in the way he had been taught was
the proper thing when he wanted to
''use manners and said:
"Yo' sho' ain no mo- s'prised to see
me heah, jedge. den is to be heah. but
flesh an blood is flesh an blood. an
dey cain stan no mo- den dey kim"
But you are a minister Of the gospel.
Uncle Hank. and as such don't you
think it is very unbecoming for you tC
be getting into a common fghtT'
But lemme tell yo'. jedge. dis heah
ain no common fight. an ef airy one oh
my members had er been cotch In secb
a box an hadn' er fit I'D er thawt he
mout be a putty good chu'ch member
but he wan no piece OBJ a man"
"How is that. Uncle Hank g. said the
Judge. "It seems a very plain case Of
assault and battery. and ! don't see
where the mitigating circumstances
come in"
"Dat's bekase yo' hnin' come &C
quainted wild dem suckumstances an
cain jes' xackly segasherfy how miti
gatin' dey reely am. jedge. Yo' see. !
wuz de paster at Pcssum Holler. an
dere wan muffin but peace an good
will in my congergashun tell de dea
cons gun at me to marry My wife. 20
know. been dead sev'al mont's"
"Well. you didn't object to that. did
your And the judge gave Uncle Han
kins a knowing wink.
"Well. sab. I wan jes' zackly sho'
bout de mattah- ! lowed ! wuz putty
comftable wild my daughter Kyarline
II \ do 40 al a
| same I'd jes' stay LAX wuz But nc
sab; dey low hit mout mek scanned. an
hit 'u'd be better fur de chu'ch ef I'd
git me q pardner rum among de sis
ters; dat hit kinder keep de sisters in 9
stew when de pastors widow man."
TOO many Of them with an eve OF
him. eh. Uncle HankT put In tn,
judge.
"well. dunno bout dat. jedge." SAID
Uncle Hank modestly. but de bred
dren dey put de matter so strong dat
fn'ly concluded dat ef Zion cain pros
per under de preachin' OBJ a widow
man dat widow man could put a stoI
to de trouble, an so"-
$50 you concluded to take wife. dit
your
"well. not jes' zackly dat strong
jedge. thawt I'd sorter browse erroun
an see how de lam lay. an ef my ey
light on de proper pusson an de prope
pusson's eye light on me-
"why. the matter would be cas-
enough. Of course. That's perfectly mai
ural. Uncle Hank" The judges cour
seemed for the time being to be trans
formed into the court of Cupid.
"weIl, sab. I browse erroun' 'mongs
de sisters sev'al mont's an come to d
conclusion dat Sist' 'Mericy PendeI
grass jes' bout ill de bill. an when
'scuss de matter wild her she low sh
hahn no dejection; dat a minister
wife am a mos lubly an a mos hol
callin'. But Sist' 'Mericy say she hair
no regler 'bidin' place. bein' a lad
what mos'ly hiahs out. 80 de weddiI
'u'd halter be kinder privit, douten q
kyards. no poun' cake. no to-do OBJ
sawt
But dat sawter didn' suit me. | stol
my fus' wife. hit bein' slave times. al
jes' had a feeiin' dat ef gwine MARI
ergin l didn' want no sneakin' on in &
dawk onbeknownst LAX. so | tole Sis
'Mericy dat ez I wuz enterin' de boil
state OBJ mattermony fur de good oh &
chu'ch (not meanin' no sinnywatiou
'ginst de LADY, low de cbu'ch ort
stand de spense. an ! 'nounce at 10
next 'p'intment dat dere 'u'd be perseet
', in's OBJ mos onushal intrust at N
|. daughter Kyarline's de next Tuesda
night an all dem dat wuz willin'
fetch a poun' er SO oh welcome need
!. STAN back fur no fudder invite.
"Dey cotch on. an ebberwhah | wei
fur de mex few days yo' could smell {
I poun' cakes an de towels. De deacon
dey all seem mighty pleased an 10
hits de bes' ting could er happened
de church. meanin' dat ! wan gwiI
stay widow man no longer. An Sis
J. | 'Mericy she wuz jes' ez smilin' ez
. basket OBJ chips, an didn' no mo di
, | trus' 'er den disirus' yo' honnah {
' de bench. I made sho' she wuz straig
, goods, all wool an a yard wide an |
r spots.
, $50 hustle erroun' en- scratch up (
a money fur de license. a-feelin' mo %
tleder an mo- contenteder den !
a sence my fus' wife went to glory"
!. Here Uncle Hank paused. and
shadow fell athwart his wrinkled fat
The judge suggested:
"Did the wedding come OF on tin
0 Uncle Hankr'
Uncle Hank wiped his brow reds
I tiyely and answered after some hesit