“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 since I had him in custody.  Just as regular as the clock strikes he’s at the back door.  Good habits—­why, that darky is a lesson to most white folks!”

“I don’t care a cuss about that nigger, but what’s the use of building a jail if a body ain’t goin’ to use it?”

“Well, there’s some sense in that,” agreed the sheriff.

“There’s a whole heap of sense in it!”

“I suggest”—­the speaker was a young lawyer from the next county —­“I suggest that a committee be appointed to wait on the nigger at the steamboat landing and acquaint him with the fact that with his assistance we wish completely to furnish the jail.”

“I protest—­” cried the judge.  “I protest—­” he repeated vigorously.  “Pride of race forbids that I should be a party to the degradation of the best of civilization!  Is your jail to be christened to its high office by a nigger?  Is this to be the law’s apotheosis?  No, sir!  No nigger is worthy the honor of being the first prisoner here!” This was a new and striking idea.  The crowd regarded the judge admiringly.  Certainly here was a man of refined feeling.

“That’s just the way I feel about it,” said the sheriff.  “If I’d athought there was any call for him I wouldn’t have let him go fishing, I’d have kept him about.”