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Show "THIS PRODIGAL JUDG1S." There is more quaint humor, more hot love making mak-ing and moro good fighting in ihe book called "Tho Prodigal Judgo" than in any other volume that has como to the tabic in years. And it is moro ihan a year old, now. - Its action is located in tho old south not tho south of tho war, but hat period which far antedated ante-dated tho civil struggle whioh has formod tho ' setting of so many romances. It lies away buck there in tho times of Jackson-or immediately afterward. The War of Twelve had" drifted but a little way Into memory. It was so near that tho ntory about keeping old Uncle Sammy out of tho pranks by the clever device of hiding his trousers still was current. For he was an old man, and had fought in the continental line, and his many descendants didn't believe he was callod on to shoulder his musket again mad as he was against the British. The still famous name of Y'ancy figures In the story of "The Prodigal Judge." Y'ancy had had an oxcellont fight with Bill Blount, and Blount had "warranted" him. That is, ho had sworn out a warrant for Yancy's arrest. Tho oonstnblo from Squire Bnalam'8 court had an Interesting timo serving the paper, and his olovornoss in gotting I away aftor tho dlgch.rge'of his duty is good in I the telling. Y'ancy -went to court, and his wholo j neighborhood wont AVlth him. Squiro Baulam knew how to decide the case. He had to find for Yancy. But ho had to do It regularly; and he , hunted for a way. When Yancy's friends bolieved the squire was going to qonvlct, thoy mado their j disapproval perfectly plain. Old Undo Sammy In- ' torjectod tho statement that tho Fayottovillo court was taking a good deal on Itself, Intorforing with matters in tho mountains, and tho squiro reminded him that the Fayettoville court "aro a higher co't than this." "I'm aweer of it," flashod back tho patriarch. "I've seen Its steeple." The defendant was acquitted, finally, because-, though there was a dlroct oonfliot of testimony on the vital point, the squiro hold that tho Yancy s (being an old family in tho neighborhood; and the prosecuting- witness having been thoro'but fifty years, he would have to bellevo tho permanent resident. "Folks that Is here today and gone tomorrow to-morrow can't be depended on. Tho plaintiff will pay the costs." Which made tho bqulre very sollfl with the Yitncy neighborhood. And the lovo scenes are as good as are the clashes of men. There is a joy of a girl, and tho manner of her courting might be read' with profit by a good many young follows who don't soom to BBBBBBBBBBjQgBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBSi know the philosophy of winning a woman. But bigger even than the love story is the record of that ago of westward movement which was made by the whole republic. It lies in the day when internal improvement the building of canals and highways filled the thought and on-gaged on-gaged the industry of the country. It is a day that has forever passed, and yet it is alive with interest to the student of American history. Our later-day people know far too little of that period when the young nation was just coming into its strength, and feeling a way to bigger developemnt a d .greater usefulness. The author? Oh, it is that Vaughan Kestor, who has helped while away so many hours, and who dared to teach us something while he ontor-tained. |
