The Judge's Story

A poor friendless negro stood at the bar of justice, on trial for his life. The evidence was purely circumstantial, but even the lawyer assigned to defend him was skeptical as to his innocence, and indifferent as to the result. The prisoner told a straight story, but others swore that the victim had identified him, in a manner, before he died. The trial proceeded speedily, and the outcome looked black for the prisoner. The aged judge on the bench, who had listened to stories of sordid crimes for years, heaved a sigh of relief when the lawyers concluded their arguments, and started in to sum up. His charge was brief, for there was little he felt called upon to say. Just as the jurors were preparing to file out, there was an interruption. A feeble old colored woman forced her way through the crowd, and falling on her knees before the judge's bench, implored "Massa Jack" to save her boy. The judge looked down and recognized her. He showed strong emotion, called the wondering jurors back to their seats, and told them that before they started in to consider their verdict, he wanted to tell them a story of fifty years ago. At that time a young Confederate officer, while in camp, received word that his mother was fatally ill. He secured leave of absence and started for his old home. It was a trip full of difficulties, because the Union troops were all around that neighborhood, but he managed it somehow, and was in time to receive his mother's dying blessing. On his trip back the officer was unlucky enough to be seen by the enemy, and was wounded, but managed to elude them. Finally he took refuge in a negro cabin, where a colored woman too him in, cared for him, hid him, and when searchers came denied that he was there. Her six-year-old boy also did what he could to help the wounded soldier, finally securing him a horse, on which the officer rode away. As the soldier started off, a Union trooper appeared and called upon him to surrender. But the Confederate, noting that the other was unmounted, put spur to his horse and galloped away. The Union soldier seeing his enemy escaping, knelt and took careful aim at him, but just as he was about to fire, the little negro boy jumped forward, grasped his musket, and struggled to take it from him. There was a shot, and the boy fell wounded. The Confederate would have gone back to his assistance. But other mounted foes appeared, and he saw it would be useless, so he made his escape. After the war the Confederate tried to find the child to reward him, but utterly failed. "I was the officer," the judge concluded. "The prisoner at the bar was the child who saved my life. Some persons have come forward here to testify to his good character. He says he is innocent of this crime, and I believe him. For a child who would risk his life to save another, could hardly develop into a cowardly assassin." The jurors agreed with the judge, and when the real slayer was captured later they were glad that they had done so. And the judge saw that the man who had saved his life spent the rest of his days in the happiness and comforts that were surely his due. - IMDb