Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-11-11
"A JUICES v
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Of forty-fve no man has ever charged
me with any softness toward the other
sex.
My position was thus when the courts
were closed for the summer season OF
a certain year and ! retired to my usual
resort on the seashore-
| 1t may not strike you as quite con-
sistent when say that few days aft
| err my arrival woman appeared who
caught my attention. She was regis
tered as Mrs" and II was understood
| that her husband would appear later.
| She was handsome. well formed. re-
| fined-in all outward respects a lady.
\ | did not have speech with her. but I
| admitted to myself that but for my dig
| nifty and position ! might have at
tempted what is legally known as q
mild Irritation.
People seemed to understand intui-
lively that a judge OF special sessions
did not care to hear about trifes, and
so no gossip was poured into my ears.
However. learned later on seven or
eight rooms Were robbed inside of a
week. The robberies occurred by day,
| and generally at meal times. and the
plumber was money and jewelry. In
one case the loss amounted to $500. in
another to $500. in third to over ST.
600.
After the first complaint had been
made the landlord set watch. but in
| the face of that three more rooms Were
| plundered and confding guest who
kept several hundred dollars in his
1 trunk instead of the hotel safe found it
missing one day after luncheon. Then
two detectives were employed, and all
| the go guests felt themselves under
espionage. If not suspicion-all but /.
How could landlord. detective or any
one else suspect the integrity of Judge
| Coke?
= The robberies ceased as suddenly as
| they had begun, but for reasons known
| to themselves the detectives decided
to search the baggage of certain guests.
| one of whom was the handsome Mrs.
| Blank. | heard nothing of this at the
| time, but as | left my room on the day
| of the search | encountered the lady
with a small package in her hand and
| she frankly sdiu 10 me:
| Judge Coke. have not had the
honor of an introduction. but / wish TO
beg favor of you. AS the clerks are
busy this morning. and as the porter
does not look like man to be trusted.
| you would put me under many obliga-
tons by taking this package to the ex-
press office. 1t is directed to my hus-
/ han
that he must have soon. | am sorry
to thus impose upon your good nature,
| but
Say no more, madam" interrupted.
as | took the package from her; II
shall be only too happy to be of service
to you"
l may have smiled as / lifted my
hat and bowed. but | contend tina,
lost none of my dignity. and of course
did not make it an excuse for any
extended conversation.
l met her on the street. a full block
from the hotel. upon my return, but
as | handed her over the receipt
merely raised my hat again and spoke
of the weather
The search was made quietly and
with the consent of the guests, but it
proved futile
The next three days passed without
excitement, and took it into my head
to order carriage and be driven out.
1t has always been my opinion that a
judge looks well as he rides out in
landau with head erect and arms
folded.
! was being bowled along the boule
ward connecting my resort with one
five miles away. with my driver fully
conscious Of my dignity and impor
lance. when a parasol was waved at
me from the sidewalk, and made out
lady at the end of 1t. More than
that, ! made out Mrs. Blank. who said
to me as my carriage halted at the
curb:
Judge Coke, were you going to drive
over to Surf CityY'
Il am on my way there. madam"
replied as my hat came off at the
proper angle.
"Then-then'--
"What is it, MADAME"
II have a friend over there who is
Ill. and there is no train for two hours
/ know it is presumption on my part,
butt
Not at all. madam. Let me assist
you in. | will have you there in three
quarters OF an hour. and the obligation
will be mine"
There were no languishing smiles,
no googoo eyes on my part. Indeed.
think that most of our conversation
during the drive referred to the law dl-
rectly or indirectly. | was a bit sur
prised that she should ask to be set
down on the public square instead of
at her friends house. but dignity for
babe me even TO raise my eyebrows.
She bowed and returned thanks; l
raised my hat and murmured. Don't
mention it." and we parted.
My position demanded that / should
, ! forOaf her COON DC pnccihle nv nHti1