Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-11-04
\ xl4alkW
P PI|t5 | !; ! JUDGE ]! ! IN
ENTHUSIASTICALLY 11TVlW4s1ess&
VAUGHAN HESTER AA(SMx3fSyl
- tlo.Th BohsMernN coupny \NNRTANIXW.
= c.r,,,sht. IoI., The Bobhs-Mcrrill Compsny

stop a bit!" cried the Judge. He
was taken on past here, and he was
badly injured Now, If it was your
| Uncle Bob, he'll come back the mo-
ment he Is able to travel. Meantime
you must remain under my protection
while we investigate this man Slos-
son."
But las-that thoroughfare which
is supposed to be paved exclusively
with good resolutions, had benefited
greatly by Slocum Prices labors in the
past, and he was destined to toll still
in its up-keep. He borrowed the
child's money and spent 1t, and II any
sense of shame smote his torpid con-
science, he hid it manfully. Not so
Mr.. Mahaffy; for while he profited by
his friends act, he told that gentleman
just what he thought of him with
Insulting candor. On the eighth day
there was sobriety for the pair. Deep
gloom visited Mr.. Mahaffy, and the
Judge was prey to melancholy.
It was Saturday, and In Pleasant
VILE jail-raising was in progress. Dur
| ing all the years of it's corporate dignl-
ty the village had never boasted any
building where the evil-doer could be
placed under restraint; hence had
arisen its peculiar habit Of dealing with
crime; but a leading citizen had do
mated half an acre of ground lying
midway between the town and the
river landing as site for the proposed
structury, and the scattered popula-
ton OF the region had assembled for
the raising. Norswas Pleasantville I'M
prepared to make immediate use OF
the jail. since the sheriff had IN
custody a free negro who had knitted
another free negro and was awaiting
trial at the next term of court.
1--WE don't want to get there too
early" explained the Judge, as they
quilted the cabin. I'VE want to miss
the work, but be on hand for the cele-
bration."
II suppose weamay confidently look
to you to favor us with a few eloquent
words?" said Mr.. Mahaffy.. s..
"And why not. Solomon" asked the
Judge. .'.. . ~.
why not, indeed!" echoed Mr.. Ma
haffy. -.
The opportunity he craved was not
denied him. The crowd was like most
southwestern crowds of the period,
! and no sooner did the judge appear
than there were clamorous demands
| for speech. He cast a glance OF
triumph at Mahaffy. and nimbly
mounted convenient stump. He
extolled the climate of middle Tennes;
see, the unsurpassed fertility of the
soil; he touched on the future that
awaited Pleasantville; he apostroph.
lied the Jail; this simple structure OF
logs in the shadow OF the primeval
woods was significant Of their love of
justice and order; it was a suitable
place for the detention of a citizen OF
great republic; 1t was no medieval
dungeon but forest-embowered re-
treat where, barring mosquitoes and
malaria, the party under restraint
would be put to no needless hardship;
he would have the occasional compan-
lonship of the gentlemanly sheriff; his
! friends, with such wise and proper
restrictions as the law saw fit to i'm.
pose, could come and impart the news
Of the day to him through the chinks
of the logs.
II understand you have dealt in a
hasty fashion with one or two horse
thieves" he continued. "Also with
| q gambler who was put ashore here
from river packet and subsequently
became involved in a dispute with a
late citizen Of this place touching the
number of aces in pack Of cards. 1t
| is not for me to criticize! What !
may term the spontaneous love of jus
| tice is the brightest heritage of free
people 1t Is this same commendable
ability to acquit ourselves Of our obi,
cations that is making up the wonder
of the world! But don't let us forget
| the law-of which it is an axiom, that
| it is not the severity of punishment,
but the certainty of it, that holds the
wrong -doer in check! With this safe
and commodious asylum the plow line
can remain the exclusive aid to agri.
culture. If man murders, curb your
natural impulse! Give him fair
| trial with eminent COUNSEL" The
Judge tried not to look self-conscious
when he said this. "If he is found
guilty / still say, don't lynch him!
Why? Because by your hasty act you
deny the public the elevating and i'm
|proving spectacle Of legal execu-
toni" When the applause had died
out, q lank cOuntryman GRAZING us
neck for a sight of the sheriff, bawled
out over the heads of the crowd:
where's your niger? We want to
put him in here!"
II reckon he's gone fishin'. l never
seen the beat Of that Niger to &c
fishin'," said the sheriff.
"Whoop! Amt you goin' to put him
! in here?" yelled the countryman.
cts mighty lonely spot for a mig
ger" said the sheriff doubtingly.
Lonely? WE'LL suppose he ups and
lopes out of this?
"You don't know that Niger" re-
Joined the sheriff warmly. "He amt
missed meal since had him in GUS
tody. Just as regular as the clock
strikes he's at the back door. Good
habits why, that darby is a lesson to
most white folks!"
IT don't care q cuss about that mig.
ger, but what's the use Of building a
Jail II a body amt goin' to use it?'
%Well, there's some sense in that"
agreed the sheriff. -
ny esues 10 dgeq eIoqM 3 s.elsqL,
UY ouo0octu-fhe cneaker WAS a