The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1921-01-06
A Dog Trial in Kingdom Come

II
there is no more unneighborly or I'M
Christian act for = farmer than te
| harbOr . sheep killing dog. So wher
Chad and his dog Jack, the two run
| Always from the Lonesome, found q
home with old Joel Turner and his
family 1T Kingdom Come, and Jack
was accused Of killing one Of Dillon'i
sheep, it was q tragic situation. Lit
.lt's . lie" when the charge wa
fair trial Of the dog before the squire
and gave his word that he would abide
! by the verdict Of the jury. The story
Of that trial forms one of the most
| interesting chapters Of "The Little
| Shepherd Of Kingdom Come by John
Fox, Jr., historian Of the people OF
the Cumberlands.
1t was strange procession that
left the gate Of the Turner cabin
next morning. Old Joel led the way,
mounted, with cole SAL" his rife
across his saddle bow. Behind him
came Mother Turner and Melissa on
foot, and Chad with. his rife over
/ his left shoulder and leading Jack by
string with his right hand. Behind
them slouched Tall Tom and Dolph
and Rube, each with huge old fash
toned horse pistol swinging from his
right hip. Last strobe the school
master.
It was a strange humiliation to
IL Id al 10 h
way, like criminal going to the gal
lows.
Half a mile up the river and to one
side of the road, a space Of some 30
feet square had been cut into patch
of rhododendron and filed with rude
benches of slab-in front of which
was a rought platform on which sat
homemade -bottomed chair.
1t was an open air meeting house"
where the circuit rider preached dur
ing his summer circuit and there the
trial was to take place.
Already a crowd was idling, whit
ting, gossipping in the road
"Mornin, gentlemen" said old Jo-
Ell gravely.
"Mornin'," answered several, among
whom was the squire, who eyed JoePs
gun and the guns coming up the road
Squirrel huntin'?" he asked, and
as the old hunter did not answer, ad-
ded sharply:
"Air you afeerd, Joel Turner, that
you amt a-goin' to git justice from
me-"
81 don't keer whar it comes from"
said Joel grimly-"but I'm a-goin' to
have it."
Ten minutes later the squire took
his place on the platform. The
crowd, men, women and children, took
the rough benches To one side sat
and stood the billions, old Tad and lit
tie Tad, DAVIS, Nance and others of
the tribe. Quickly the old squire
chose a jury, giving old Joel the OPP
portunity to object as he called each
mans name. Old Joel objected to
none, for every man called, he knew,
was more friendly to him than to the
billions; and old Tad Dillon raised no
word of protest, for he knew his case
was clear.
The first witness was Tad-long,
lean, stopping, crafty-had seen the
sheep rushing wildly up the hillside
i'bout crack O. day. he said, and had
sent DAVIS up to see what the matter
was. DAVIS had shouted back:
"That damned Turner dog has killed
one of our sheep. Thar he comes
now. XII 'him!" And old Tad had
rushed indoors for his rifle and had /
taken a shot at Jack as he leaped in
to the road and loped home.
Just then stern, thick little voice
rose from behind Jack:
"Hit was q Gods blessin' fer you
hat you didn't hit him."
The squire glared down at the boy
md old Joel said kindly:
Hush, Chad"
Old Dillon had then gone down to
he Turner's and asked them to kill
he dog, but old Joel had refused.
.'Whar was Whizzer?" Chad asked
harply (Whizzer was the billions
wn dog).
''You can't axe that question: said
he Squire. "Hit's er-er-irrelevant-' {
DAVIS came next When he reach j
d the fence upon the hillside he !
ould see the sheep lying still on the
AS he was climbing over, t
lie Turner dog jumped the fence and
avs saw blood on his muzzle- III
"Whar was Whizzer?" Again the
d squire looked down at Chad.
Little Tad Dillon and Nance and
he Dillon mother had all seen Jack v
inning down the road. There was f
, doubt that it was the Turner dog.
nd with this clear case against poor g
ack the Dillon's rested.
And what else could the Turner's :
, but establish Jacks character and |
L.