human
Much on your mind, Squire, now?
gpt
All the time--all the time sunthin'. There's a pin't of law to be settled in that case 'tween Whippum against Snappett. Snappett's nigger man druv Snappett's cattle over Whippum's dog, and broke Whippum's leg--I mean Whippum's _dog's_ leg; and Whippum's dog's goin' to die--a very valuable dog--cost Whippum six shillings last spring--good for cattle, hogs, anything--children thought a good deal on him; and so Whippum swore Snappett should pay for the dog, if he spent his farm to get it.
human
I declare,
gpt
Yes, he said it in my offis last week; but whether to sue Snappett or the nigger is the p'int. If we sue the nigger, he arn't good; if we sue Snappett, twarn't he that druv the oxen.
human
Join the nigger and the white man together in one suit,
gpt
exclaimed the Squire, looking wildly at me--
human
Can it be possible?
gpt
And then, continued the Squire,
human
Tibbits and Jenkins have got inter trouble. Jenkins got mad at Tibbits 'bout somethin' a while ago, and so he went down to Tibbits' house, his gun on his shoulder, full-er wrath--and spyin' a favorit' cow of Tibbits in the barn-yard, jest drew up, and popped her over--Tibbits run'd out, grabbl'd the gun out of Jenkins' hand, and smashed it up fine on a tree--then they had a fight, and Jenkins bung'd up Tibbits, and Tibbits bung'd up Jenkins, so neither on 'em could see much--now Tibbits wants to bring suit for the value of his cow.
gpt
Do tell now if he does, exclaimed Aunt Sonora, who had been listening to the Squire's story;
human
I tell'd our folks at hum, yesterday, that I hadn't any doubt but Puddleford would be turned _en_side out 'bout that.
gpt
Yes! continued the Squire,
human
Tibbits wants to bring suit--but I tell'd Tibbits that I wanted to know how much the cow was worth. 'Fourteen dollars,' said he. 'How much was the rifle worth?' ''Bout the same,' said he. 'Jest a set-off,' said I; 'the rifle pays for the cow, and the cow for the rifle.' Tibbits said that warn't la', and swore, and said I should issue the writ. I threatened to commit him for contempt. He said he'd get a _ramdamus_ (mandamus) onter me, and there the matter stands.
gpt
Well, said I,
human
Nobody to fill my place, said the Squire, pushing his arms down into his breeches pockets and stretching out his legs and throwing his eyes up to the ceiling--
gpt
There's Ike Turtle,
human
Ike arn't cool enough--it takes a _cool_ man for justis in these parts--a man that arn't afear'd of nothin'.
gpt
Just so,