Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-09-28
Spreading the gospel. i"

SlOSe De1lnQ HeI Ildu UeeH SllllIlS JUN
Reed, who drank port and grew potly.
Picking up an empty coal Scuttle, and in
verting it, he struck an attitude as though
awaiting the command OF the court to clap
it over and extinguish her. The odd
spectacle was iresistibly ludicrouS, and
Grove Hinkle stretched out long arm TO
pull Reed down in his seat lest he upset
the gravity of the court. The Colonel
had shaded his eyes with his hand for a
moment, and then proceeded to ask Mrs.
Winebrenner about this shooting; but at
every point where the word shooting"
came in, Madame Vixen chirped in,
eyes, when the chickens gotin the corn"
so as to keep the testimony to her side;
and when Mrs. w., in answer to the in
quiry as to the amount of the alarm she
experienced from the shooting, said that
it made her jump out OF her chair, Mad
anne Vixen put in an undertone: "Pity it
hadn't made the old thing jump out OF her
skin"-an inadvertent squirt that clearly
exhibited the "malice prepense" in the
case.
Next, neighbor Dan Brooks was called
in to make statement in regard to the
shooting. Daniel came to judgment with
cheerful alacrity, and stood up stffly to
be sworn, as the Colonel put in in one
breath, ITO tell truth, whole truth, Moth
in but truth, s. help ye God. Kiss the
book" Old Dan took the book held out
to him somewhat doubtfully, then looking
at the title on the back, saw that it did
not correspond in number of letters to
that on the great old Bible he read so
loudly every Sabbath morning-he held
it a little farther away and "drew bead"
on if through his baleful SpectacleS and
said:
"Why, Colonel, what in the devil do
you want to swear me on WebSter'S Die
tionary for-do you think have no re-
spect for the Holy Evangel ?" II was
well known that old Dan did not need
any Bible for the amount OF protane
swearing he blew forth every day and
hour; however, the court saw the point
and rectified itself by ordering the clerk
to hand up the proper book in place OF
the one taken by mistake out OF a dusty
bin of boxes beneath the table. Brooks
was asked if he lived neighborto the par
ties and could see over the scene OF this
combat.
eyes, Colonel; you know where |
live-but there is a church between me
and the Fox place, and never could see
through church, anyhow"
care you near and can see Mrs. Wine
brenner's house ?"
"Fore CAD, yes, and sorry for it. Her
chickens are scratchers-Hell-for- certain
they've scratched up my garden for
the last forty years. told her it was
d-d we'll they planted those folks in
the two graveyards six feet deep, or her
internal chickens would have them all
scratched up and be picking their bones"
Madame Vixen snapped her eyes with
a smile as this evidence, showing the
provocation for the shooting, was put in
The smile changed, however, when Dan,
being asked if he knew aught about the
status of the Fox family, answered:
al can't say aught about them, Colonel.
was down at their house with my wag-
on, when DR.. Andrews sent me there
with load OF bacon, flour and corn that
he was giving them, and they did look
nightly in need OF it. DR.. Andrews
wanted to pay me for the hauling, but as
il was charity wouldn't take it, and told
him ito let it go in as my part OF the stuff.
He thanked me and said Twas better than
| looked"
Madame Vixen sat mutely crushed un-
der this revelation OF their poverty.
The trial progressed perfunctoriy,
nothing occurring thereafter worthy ofre-
cord except when Madame Vixen inter
iected a caustic rebuttal. Colonel HAM
tramck, extending his arm and hand in a
prohibiting gesture, said solemnly and
firmly, "Peace, woman !" whereafter she
held her peace. Poor old Barabbas sat
there mutely-as usual in family squao-
bles-hiS bald pate clearly showing how
he had suffered as patient old saint.
Afterrummagingthrough some old books
TO find the law made and provided for
the case, Colonel Hamtramck, much to
the chagrin and astonishment OF Mrs.
Winebrenner, who presumed that her
prosecutor should be hung, drawn and
ouartered at least once, bound over the
unhappy, weeping Fernando to keep the
peace and to give bond therefor in the
sum of twenty-five dollars. Mrs. Wine
brenner then wanted TO know if the
TWENTY-FIVE dollars was to come to her
as salye for her tortured nerves, but
was informed that it was not the rule OF
proceeding.
A few moments thereafter the court
was Illuminated by the presence Of good
DR.. Andrews, who came up and told Col.
Hamtramck that he would 90 security
and sign the bond for Fernando's good
behavior. So the court was ended and
the Foxes, big and little, filed out and
went homeward. Their friend, the good
Samaritan, found work for both the boy
and father, but the spirit the family was
broken by the disclosure Of their poverty,
and their social standing impaired for all