Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1875 — Before the ’Squire. [ARTICLE]

Before the ’Squire.

Three interesting youngsters, just arrived at an age when the infantile beard assumes the aspect of mould upon a piece of old cheese, and the thoughts turn as naturally to young females as the magnetic needle turns towards the mysterious chambers of the north, were arraigned before his honor one day last week, to answer a charge of disturbing a public meeting. The constable introduced them with the grace and suavity of a country dance manager, and then retired to a seat near the window where he could Watch the robins carry worms to their young in the cotton-wood tree, and at the same time breathe the fragrant breezes that' toyed with the dogfennel blossoms by the wayside. His honor adjusted his gold bowed spectacles upon his sturdy nose, and arranging liis.brow into an expression of becoming solemnity, glanced upon the trembling trio before him a look of mingled pity and paternal solicitude. Addressing himself to the ringleader, his honor observed in a deprecatory tone: “Been making a noise in church, have ye?” <j “No, sir; I haint;” plead the youth, and he held his head down as though he had a boil on the back of his neck. v “None of that, my boy,” warned his honor, and the deep^corrugations on his forehead showed how he abhorred a falsehood?" “Young gentleman,” suggested the poll-evil youth, and be commenced counting the buttons on bis vest.

“Young yc/Ji'/man, indeed!’’ resumed his honor. “Noyeaint. If the capillary covering upon your head was seperated into two equal quantities by a line of demarkation broad and distinct, drawn from the center of your forehead through the crown down to the spine in the middle of your neck ; if your boxtoed boots were blacked as they ought to be this fine day; if the little finger of your left hand was encircled by an oroide ring with a gi een and red queens ware seal an inch square ;if your shirt front was adorned with large brass rings like those attached to the pasteboard boxes in which papers of this court arc filed; if a fragrance was emitted .by your clothing like that which pervades a drug store or a negro barber shop; then might you have some claim to be designated by the title of‘young gentleman,’ but as it is a decent regard for the customs and usages of fashionab'e society forbids, and I can not call you so; I can not do itYears ago, when these thin and slivered locks wore the hue of youth, I knew your mother, my boy. She was a nice woman, beloved and respected for her gentleness and virtues; but she is dead and gone to her reward. I also knew your father. He was a nice man, who struggled with adversity like a hero, and strove to bring up his sons to be respectable members of community. Alas! poor man! he, too, has gone to that bourne from whence, Mr. Shakespeare has so bcaudfully said, no traveler returns. He is dead, my boy, dead! And you are an orphan, with none to direct your footsteps in the pathway of rectitude and propriety. I’m sorry to hear that you have been guilty of levity in the house of God. Such conduct is shameful. It is shocking to the sensibilities of a moral and religious community. The example of yourself and comrades is such that it cannot be passed in silence and unnoticed by this court, whose duties as a conservator of good order are plain and not to be,evaded. It is an ex- i ample, which if permitted to go I unchecked and unpunished, would have a pernicious influence .upon! those of the rising generation who are younger than yourselves, tar- 1 uish the reputation of this community, and result in many evils too tedious to mention. But while it is the firm conviction of the court tfeat con- ■ sideration for the publiAwelfare de-j mandsthatau example' be imdc in

this instance in order to deter not but others also, from like offenses in the future,yet feelings of respect for the family of which you are a representative, pity for your orphaned condition, and the fact that it is your first appearance in the domain of Justice, all conspire to melt my heart to leniency. My boy you are fined sl, and so are each of your comrades. Go and behave yourselves in future.”