Experts
There was a chicken-stealing case before the court. The colored culprit
pleaded guilty and was duly sentenced. But the circumstances of the case
had provoked the curiosity of the judge, so that he questioned the darky
as to how he had managed to take those chickens and carry them off from
right under the window of the owner's house, and that with a savage dog
loose in the yard. But the thief was not minded to explain. He said:
"Hit wouldn't be of no use, jedge, to try to 'splain dis ting to
you-all. Ef you was to try it you more'n like as not would git yer hide
full o' shot an' git no chickens, nuther. Ef you want to engage in any
rascality, jedge, you better stick to de bench, whar you am familiar."