nted a convenient stump. He extolled
the climate of middle Tennessee, the unsurpassed fertility of the soil;
he touched on the future that awaited Pleasantville; he apostrophized
the jail; this simple structure of logs in the shadow of the primeval
woods was significant of their love of justice and order; it was a
suitable place for the detention of a citizen of a great republic; it
was no mediaeval dungeon, but a forest-embowered retreat where, barring
mosquitoes and malaria, the party under restraint would be put to no
needless hardship; he would have the occasional companionship of the
gentlemanly sheriff; his friends, with such wise and proper restrictions
as the law saw fit to impose, could come and impart the news of the day
to him through the chinks of the logs.

"I understand you have dealt in a hasty fashion with one or two
horse-thieves," he continued. "Also with a gambler who was put ashore
here from a river packet and subsequently became involved in a dispute
with a late citizen of this place touching the number of aces in a pack
of cards. It is not for me to criticize! What I may term the spontaneous
love of justice is the brightest heritage of a free people. It is this
same commendable ability to acquit ourselves of our obligations that is
making us the wonder of the world! But don't let us forget the law--of
which it is an axiom, that it is not the severity of punishment, but the
certainty of it, that holds the wrong-doer in check! With this safe
and commodious asylum the plow line can remain the exclusive aid to
agriculture. If a man murders, curb your natural impulse! Give him
a fair trial, with eminent counsel!" The judge tried not to look
self-conscious when he said this. "If he is found guilty, I still say,
don't lynch him! Why? Because by your hasty act you deny the public
the elevating and improving spectacle of a legal execution!" When the
applause had died out, a lank countryman craning his neck for a sight of
the sheriff, bawled out over the heads of the crowd:

"Where's your nigger? We want to put him in here!"

"I reckon he's gone fishin'. I never seen the beat of that nigger to go
fishin'," said the sheriff.

"Whoop! Ain't you goin' to put him in here?" yelled the countryman.

"It's a mighty lonely spot for a nigger," said the sheriff doubtingly.

"Lonely? Well, suppose he ups and lopes out of this?"

"You don't know that nigger," rejoined the sheriff warmly. "He ain't
missed a meal si