Judge — January 29, 1898 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A WARM FINISH. RETRIBUTION. HARDENED as he was by long years of daily contact with the criminal classes, the magistrate shuddered as he listened to the horrible details of the brutal murder with which the prisoner was charged. It seemed utterly impossible that aman of such evident refinement and good breeding could be guilty of such atrocious butchery. Yet there a could be no doubt of I. Pour —" Dis exposin’ one’s self toe de his guilt. A hundred bitterness ob de elements am pretty tuff fo'a witnesses testified to cullud man ;— the facts in the case, which were in brief as follows: The mur- derer and his victim sat side by side at a swell musicale. ‘There had been no quarrel, nor had anything occurred to show that there was the slightest animosity between the two men. Suddenly, without a word of warning, one of them sprang to his feet and felled the other to the ground with a blow of his fist. Before any one could interfere he jump- ed on the head of the prostrate man, crushing his skull with the heels of his shoes. He continued to kick and beat the lifeless body until the bystanders dragged 11 —— but knowin’ de habits ob chickens allus him off. prompts ‘em toe roost on anyt’ing warm — The prisoner showed no signs of remorse while all this testimony was being given, but seemed rather to glory in his deed. Occasionally, however, his face wore a puzzled expression as though he were trying tosemember something. When he had finished examining the witnesses the judge turn- ed to the accused and asked him whether he had anything to say in his own behalf. “Your honor,” replied the prisoner, “I have no doubt that these witnesses have spoken the truth. I know most of them per- sonally, and am sure that they would not swear toa lie. All that remains for me to do is to explain the reason for this deed which seems so horrible to you. The man whom I am accused of killing sat beside me at the musicale, I had never seen him before in my life, but he persisted in talking to me in spite of the fact that I hinted very strongly that | wanted to hear the m He would not be quiet. however, and I tried to endure his chatter with Christian forti- IIT, — dis niggah am willin’ toe stand a liddle temporary chill fo' de saik ob a scientific "speriment — OVERHEARD IN THE “LAND OF DOUGH." KLonpikte rLeasure-seexker—" What d’yer mean by chargin’ only ten dollars ter git in an’ askin’ a hull thousand fer a box-seat ?” ‘TickET-CLERK—" That's easily answered ; there's a stove in each box. Savvy?" tude, Toward the middle of the programme it was announced that Herr Basso and Signor Hinote would favor us with a duet. This was one of the numbers I had come especially to hear, and I was preparing to enjoy it when my neighbor leaned over and whispered, “Duet, eh! { didn’t think they would dare to do it’ I turned my back on the idiot and controlled my temper as best I could. I might as well have gone home, for my evening's enjoyment was spoiled. If Thad done so 1 would not now be here. But then some one else would have had to suffer in my place last evening, and the result would probably have been the same, After the duet Miss Screecher was to sing asolo. Again that fiend in human form turned toward me. I guessed what was coming and tried to head him off. but in vain, ‘hope,’ said he with an imbecile grin, * that she will sing it so low that we can't hear it.’ From that time, your honor, my mind = was a blank until I came to my- \ = self in the police-station. These people say that I killed the man. L hope I did. I regret nothing, Do with me as you will.” “Prisoner,” said the judge with tears in his eyes, “let me grasp your hand. You are dis- charged, sir, and were it in my power to bestow rewards as well as to inflict punishment you should have a gold medal as large as a dinner-plate.” ISAAC ANDERSON, INDIGENOUS. Dorothy (admiring the brackets in her Aunt Mary's city home) —* Did these toad-stools. grow right here, auntie ? A CLIPPER. ONO. THERE ain't no barber in the village,” said the landlord of the Ex- cuselessv reply to the question of the solitary drum- mer. “You'll have to shave yourself, but if you want your hair cut I guess the editor of the Bugle can ac- commodate you.” “ The editor?” “Yep; he's the HE DID. x 5 CARRANAN —"* Th' forman down at th’ new place phere Oi'm wurrkin’ is purty bandiest man in town ty. ___ which am a dignified success an’ no fuss kind. He towld me tek me ch'ice av any tools t" wurrk wid an’ Oi tuk me pick.” with the shears.” an’ feathahs. Ki-yi !" ‘ comicbooks.com