Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-09-01
JEFFS
TESTIMONY
By SARAH ATWATER

contained q notification that he had
been sued for breach of promise. His
Father had recently died and left him
The care of several children, the sons
and daughters of a second wife. Trevor
mad secured the services of a woman
10 take care of the children. but being
dissatisfied with her had discharged
her. A lawyer had written that Martha
BrOadhead. the complainant. would
listen to an offer with view to COM
promising the suit
at the moment Trevor was reading
ahis letter his body servant, JEFF. named
for the future president of the Southern
COnfederacy, came into the room with
bis masters boots that he had shined
jeff" said Trevor. what do you
suppose Miss Broadhead has done?
She's sued me for breach Of promise"
Yes. sab"
'She wishes to extort money. She
viii attempt to prove that | made love
30 her while she was here in charge OF
ube children. I'm going to call upon
you to tell the court that, though you
were in the house all the time she was
here, II I had been sweet on her you
would have noticed it and that you
never saw any counting going on be-
Gween u.s."
YES, sab" .-.-se.. So. :.
When Jefr was called to the stand by
grevor's counsel he testified as his
snaster had Indicated and was about
GO step down from the witness box
when Miss Broadhead's counsel called
upon him to remain for cross eKamina-
Sion.
~Jef," he said patronizingly and In
sending to Ingratiate himself with the
witness before attempting to get any
anfOrnatiOn out OF him that would In
9ure dis masters case. "you 6na Mr.
sErevor very good master. don't your
Berry good mastah. sah." !.
"YoG say that you are a house serv-
antY'
yes, sah.'
And that you never saw your mas
ser sitting In the parlor or on the gal
Sery with Miss Broadhead?"
NE, sab. / didn't nebber see mars
soften in de parlor or on de gallery
With Missy Broadhead. but I see him
On de gallery oncet talkin' with Missy
BrOadhead.'
You saw Mr.. Trevor on the gallery
GaIking with Miss Broadhead, eh7
Well, what was he saying to herP'
He tole Miss Broadhead ef ebber he
Gofcbed her slappin' one OBJ de chillun
aEin he giD her de walkin' papers"
The spectators Uttered. and the judge
sailed them to order The attorney col
sDred bit. then proceeded.
How was your master in the habit
81 spending his eveningsr'
Sometimes he went out to call on
&c neighbors, and sometimes he sot In
ate Iibrary readin'."
esAnd how did Miss Broadhead spend
AaeT eveningsY'
Missy Broadhead she put de chillun
90 bed"
About what time did she get the
children to sleep?"
Dunno. sab. l nebber see her up
RDt Oncet"
what was she doing thenr'
Missy Broadhead went to de library
where Mars Willard was sottin. readin'
y book"
We'll, what happened between them?'
MISSY Broadhead says. says she:
I'm gwine TO run Ovah to Missy Cuth-
RseTt's TO a few minutes. Ii any OBJ de
scbillun wakes up I'll be back In time
&C you won't be bOddered.' And mars
says, Dat all right: don't hurry yO'
self was gwine TO Missy Cuthbert's
myself TO see her cullud gal. Peggy. SO
u fol3ered Missy Broadhead as ia as de
GgoSSToad. and she turned on de cross
road. Since she wasn't gwine TO Missy
Gutkbert's ! jist think I'd see whar
SHE war gwine, so foIIered her down
ole road. and she met de oberseer."
This was evidence that the attorney
had not bargained for He would have
stopped the testimony. but he knew
shat the defendants counsel would call
- forth anyway. SO he felt obliged to
gef JEFF go on. The darby resumed:
de Oberseer TUX Missy Broadhead in
he arms. and | heard a smack lax de
Eepo't OBJ pistol" -
After the laugh that this evidence
e91cited had subsidized Jeff continued:
Den dey walked togedder on de
road. talkin. | bein' black as de night,
Ste white folks couldn't see me. but
could see de white folks, and. climbIn'
cher de fence, | trabeled i'm de field
alongside OBJ 'em. hearn Missy Broad
head say dat mars hab heap O.
money an he'd rudder pay than go
into cou't Den de oberseer he say.
70 hain't got nOttin' 70 TO hire a law
yer And Missy Broadhead says. says
ahe. 4 nebber thought o. dat And de
Oberseer he says. says be. I furnish de
EmOney 10 de lawyer and 70 de cou't'
AAnd Missy Broadhead. she says. says
she. II so do dat glib yo' half'"
Naturally every one In the courtroom
fastened to this evidence with wrapt
Ssttention except the plaintiff aud her
counsel When JEFF had finished the
Judge dismissed the case. and the de-
Iandant threw his arms around JEFF
saRd plugged him Plaintiffs counsel