All Rise!

"ALL RISE! THIS HONORABLE COURT IS NOW OPEN AND IN SESSION!" Th' court room wuz his domain, bailiffin' wuz his profession! No one dared hornswoggle him in that hallowed room. Should any nonsense occur, he'd surely lower th' boom! Usin' th' butts uv his forty-fours, he'd gavel th' court to order. An' he pounded agin an' agin to quell any cheeky disorder! The wisened old judge tolerated th' bailiff with some bemusement. His antics provided folks with local lore an' amusement! He'd served th' venerable judge fer years on th' western frontier. His steely-eyed glare filled grovelin' scalawags with fear! Hoss thieves, cattle rustlers an' drunks he'd seen galore, An' desperadoes, train an' bank robbers by th' score! Warn't no guns er bowie knives 'lowed thro' th' front door, An ya better aim fer th' spittoon an' not mess up his floor! B'fore enterin' his sacred realm ya'd better wipe off yer boots. He didn't take no guff frum any of them hell-raisin' galoots! Adjournment wuz gaveled fer th' old feller an' is talked uv today. He met th' Big Judge In The Sky, on th' cold floor where he lay. Seems he vigorously gaveled his rods, a stray slug hit his head! Th' judge couldn't cope with that an' he too keeled over dead! Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired (© All Rights Reserved)