The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-12-23
CHAPTER I.

Il speeches mad been MADE on
both sides of the case. and the
attorney for the state had
grown severe and eloquent in urging
conviction. The jury had remained in
retirement all the morning and at last
! had filed in and rendered their YER
diet David Buckley. the prisoner at
the bar was found guilty of having
deliberately and in the night stolen n
bale of cotton from a neighbours barn.
branded it as his own and taken it to
market the next day.
He was short. thickset man near
the age Of sixt. gray. stiff haired and
suIlen faced. and just now more an
CRY, it was thought. at certain neigh
bors who had testified against him
than chagrined at the verdict of the
court He glanced at his wife. who
sat against the railing behind him. and
then stared steadily at the floor till
the sheriff came and led him back to
Jail.
Later in the afternoon he was
brought back to receive his sentence.
The judge, TALL powerful man, dark
of hair and eye and as brown as a
Spaniard. was about to order him to
stand up when Hiram Hillyer, a well
to do cotton and grain merchant of
the town, rose and begged permission
to speak to the judge in private before
the prisoner was sentenced.
"Well, I reckon we've got time. Mr..
Hillyer," the judge said pleasantly.
IF it's anything in Buckley's favor I'd
like to hear it. I've been on the bench
seven years. and l don't think ever
had man before me that was painted
as black by his neighbors.'
Making his way through the cluster
of lawyers and students of the law
around the stove to one of the vacant
jury rooms, the merchant waited for
the judge to join him, and when he
came Hillyer, nervously pulling at his
short, gray beard, faced him, an eager
look in his mild blue eyes.
I'm afeard it amt nothin in the
old mans favor, Judge Moore" he fall
tered. 1.-The truth is, I'm a-thinkin'
about his son, Judge, eff thar ever
was a finer, more honest an upright
boy than George Buckley, l hain't new
er run across i'm"
"Oh, you can't tell me anything about
George" said Judge Moore. "He and
/ are friends. He voted for me and
legged for me in the Upper Tenth dis
tr.ct. All, so he sent you to me, did
Ire? Well, what does George want?
was glad he wasn't in court to hear
all that stuff against his daddy
you see, we thought-me'ns George
both thought that maybe you mought
Justice mought be carried out by i'm
posin' g pretty heavy fine, an =
'Old Buckley isn't able to pay a
cent" broke in the judge. 1--WE made
inquiries. and if his little farm is sold
1t will leave his old wife without any
means of making support No, the
jig's up with him."
"But Georges been savin' money for
the last five years." said Hillyer anx-
ously. I've got it borrowed from i'm
It regular rates. | can lay my hands
On the money at a moments notice.
Yes, he can raise reasonable amount
all right"
Judge Moore frowned, thrust his
hands into tile pockets of his trousers
Ind turned to Il window which looked
tut on the courtyard. where a few
dlers lay On the grass near the hitch
ne, rack.
I'm not going to be the medium
through which deserving innocent peo-
lie suffer for the guilty he said
irmly. 1--WE thought it all over |
ras afraid George might ask this. but
is no go. I'VE made up my mind on
bat score"
"oh. iddge, don't say that" pleaded
illlyer. THE boy simply can't bear
!. You see, Judge Moore, since
lck i'm an sent i'm off to school h
cen sorter away from his home. an {
le felicrs get as much feeln as any
ody else. Then when he got through ;
1llege an | give i'm a place in 10y
usiness he's stood with the best folks
/ the town. an 1t would go hard with
M to have his own daddy at the coal [
lines" {
II know ali that, Mr.. Hiilyer. I've !
lought of it twenty times during this
ial hardly slept last night trying 9
make M my mind what to do in /
Sc the jury didn't recommend Buck
Y to mercy. We'll, they came down :
i i'm like a load Of bricks. an I'm not b
ling to let George suffer for him. b
ny. the old rascal can't be cured of
: dishonesty. Didn't you hear what G
radley said about his constantly steal
9 from his neighbors, many of whom :
yer made any charge against bin oJt a
respect for Mrs. Buckley and George? II
}, sir; his son, who is my friend shall 81.
t sacrifice his savings for. him. i
Then III pay II, Judge; you know =
IN able" I'D
you slant do that. either" said the @
dye firmly. 'Even IL I'd consent to ~
as old d man as you be out of o
cket for such a hopeless reprobate, al
'orge would find It out and insist on m
an yit,p VIM In fhe long run No. FIVE nj