JUSTIFIABLE LARCENY. BY JOSEPH M. SULLIVAN, Of the Boston Bar. PRAYERS were over at the old meeting house at Svvanee, and Brudder Rastus, in behalf oí "De respectable colored peo ple," in a dignified tone requested the con gregation to tarry awhile, for business of the utmost importance was to be transacted. One of their members had fallen from grace, and it was no case of justifiable larceny, either. w "Deahly belubbed bredren," began Brud der Rastus, "gib me your attenshun and I will read you de charge of un-Christian con duct preferred against Joe Hamilton by de Deacon Ebenezer Johnson. Ebenezer Johnson says that 'Joe Hamilton, widout any pravocashun assaulted him seri ously an' stole two bushels of potatoes from his, Deacon Johnson's potato patch.' To dis charge Brudder Joe Hamilton says he am not guilty, and for trial puts himself upon de assembly, of which assembly you are. If he am guilty, you will say so; if he am not guilty, you will say so, an' no more. "Gentlemen and ladies of dis here congre gation, hearken to de evidence." "'Brudder Johnson, sworn, deposed as follows: One dark night last month I had occashun to visit my potato garden and Т saw Brudder Joe Hamilton digging my po tatoes, and, wiciout any leave on my part, proceeded to help himself. I remonstrated wid him, an' tol' him that stealing taters was as mean as stealing sheep. Wiciout any furder ceremony he proceeded to knock me down an' grievously assault me. "'Joe Hamilton, being called, deposed: Bredren of the congregation, de flour was getting low an' my meal bag almost empty,
an' I didn't know what to do. Deahly be lubbed bredren, we read in the Holy Scrip tures that de ravens fed ole 'Lizeh, I think, yes, Elizah, the prophet in de desert, but de critters won't feed me. I sat on de fence an' waited for de pesky birds to come along, and, really, bredren, dem birds hab got above dat business. They came an' paid no attenshun to me at all. Now, I knowed the way to Brudder Johnson's tater patch, an' although the night was dark 'twas easy miff to find. I had just finished, an' filled my basket when up I looked and saw Brudder Johnson's ole hose pistol apointing straight at me. Self-preservation being de first law ob nature, I had to knock him down, an' I think you'll agree wid me that dis case am a very trifling one, and ought not to be brought before the church.'" Brudder Rastus: "Ladies and gcmmen and all contrite and repentant sinners, are you ready for de question? Is de delinquent В rudder Hamilton guilty or not guilty?" Congregation: "Guilty of justifiable lar ceny." Brudder Rastus: "Brudder Hamilton, lis ten to .de sentence of de church as de deacons hab awarded it. De deacons sen tence you to be suspended from church mem bership for de term of three months, to fast from eating chicken an' watermelon as a penance for the further term of six months, and you stand so suspended until you per form de above sentence and penance." "De chair awaits a motion." Motion to adjourn made by Brudder John son. Carried.
