"We are in Hastings County now and in a few minutes we shall be in Hicks

Center, the county seat," were the first words that broke in on my

self-communion as we began to speed past rough board and log cabins,

each surrounded by a picket fence which in no way seemed to fend the

doorsteps from razor-back pigs, chickens and a few young mules and

calves. "It must be court day, for I don't see a single inhabitant

sitting chewing under his own vine and fig tree."

"Yes; it's the first Monday," answered father, as the gray machine

pulled gallantly through a few hundred feet of thick, black mud and

turned from the wilderness into the public square of the metropolis of

Hicks Center.

"Yes, court is in session and there the whole population is in the

courthouse," said father, as we glided slowly down the village street.

"They must be trying a murder or a horse-stealing case," and I saw his

eyes gleam for a second under their heavy brows as the eyes of an old

war horse must gleam when he scents powder.

"Ugh," assented silent Bill, making the first remark of the journey, and

as he spoke the syllable he rose and pointed to the courthouse, which

stood in the midst of a mud-covered public square, completely surrounded

by hitching-posts to which were hitched all the vehicles of locomotion

of the last century down to the present in Hicks Center--which had not

as yet arrived as far as the day of the motor car.

"Is Jed in there, Bill?" demanded the Reverend Mr. Goodloe; and as Bill

assented with muscular vigor, if not vocal, he drew the gray car up

beside, an old-fashioned carryall, whose wheels were at least five feet

high and which had hitched to its pole an old horse and a young mule.

"That team makes a nice balance of--temperament," Mr. Goodloe remarked,

as he lifted out Charlotte and then turned to swing me, in his strong

arms, free of a mud puddle and onto the old brick pavement which was

green with the moss of generations.

Then, piloted by the silent Bill, we made our way through a quiet throng

of men and women and children, from the awkward age of shoe-top trousers

and skirts to that which, in many cases, was partaking from the maternal

fount, as the women stood in groups and whispered as they looked at us

shyly. Somehow their decorous calico skirts, which just cleared the

ground, made me feel naked in my own of white corduroy, which was all of

eight inches from the mud in which theirs had draggled.

And as silent as they, even Charlotte's chatter subdued, we entered the

court room and were led through a crowd up to the front seat. At least

the rest of us were seated, but the judge, jury and prisoner and

prosecuting attorney rose in a body and shook hands with the Reverend

Mr. Goodloe as if he were their common and best beloved son.




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