The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-21

back, well laid on, and be branded on the face or in the right hand, as the court shall think fit, with the letter T, and be imprisoned for term not ex- ceeding twelve months"
 From this one would gather that those inclined to practice horse stealing would exercise some restraint over their natural inclinations, or, at least, be very care- ful to avoid any undue notoriety with respect to how and when the practice was indulged.
 The state fathers, too, were evidently interested in the morals of their consti- tuents, and perhaps, the othodoxy of their religious code; at least, as to how this was manifested in the observance of the Sabbath. We find this statute In re- gard to the legal prohibitions on the Sab bath day, directed at the frivolously in- clined of this immature period: "- that no worldly business or employment, ordi- nary or servile work (works of necessity of charity excepted) nor shooting, sport ing, hunting, gaming, racing, fddling, or other music for the sake of merriment, nor any kind of playing, sports, pas times, or diversions, shall be done, per formed or practiced, by any persons or persons in this territory on the Chris tain Sabbath or first day of the week, commonly called Sunday; and that every persons being of the age of fourteen or upwards offending in the premises. shall for every such offense, forfeit any pay the sum of two dollars -"-the statute goes on to recite that on failure of any person convicted of such offense to pay over the forfeit or fine he shall be set publicly in the stock for any space of time not exceeding four hours" We venture the assertion that the Sabbath of that day and time would perhaps be more readily recognized in the course of the week than would be the case to- L. ,fH In addition to this strict moral law, we discover that the evil practice of swearing was drowned upon to some extent, In spite of the legendary predillction of our sires to an emphatic and robust form of expression. For instance. while we still adhere to a punishment for public profanity and swearing in the presence of females at the earlier time 1t was un- safe to swear at all, unless absolutely alone. Here is the statute on the sub ject: And be 1t further enacted that if ay person shall profanely swear or curse, in the hearing of any justice; or shall be convicted of profanely CUTS ing or swearing by the oath of one or more witnesses, or confession of the party before any justice; every such of- fender shall forfeit and pay for every such offense the sum of fifty cents" The penalty was rather light, it is true, and we are tempted to believe that cer- tain types of the times, say, steamboat captains, overseers, etc., must have been allowed a wholesalt rate, or procured license at a reasonable estimate, for that history has 1t their swearing, in the words of the immortal Huch Finn, "1afd over" the most masterful efforts of the present day, and their fines would, in the course of a short time, amount to handsome sum.
 The following extracts also furnish ex- amples of the unusual efforts made to prevent both crime and criminal tenden- cies
 And be 1t further enacted, that whoso- ever shall apprehend and take one or moro persons, guilty of burglary, or of