He stood looking straight at the Judge. "Then, suh, I can't say that I'm glad to meet you." "Nor I to meet you, under such circumstances, Mr. Starbuck. I am indeed sorry to see so venerable a looking man brought here on a charge so serious. And I request from you a straightforward statement." Old Jasper turned toward Foster. "I can't talk while he's in here, Jedge. He seed me in jail and I can't talk befo' no man that has seed me there." "You needn't hesitate to speak within his hearing, Mr. Starbuck. He was a soldier, too." "What, all soldiers? Then I have been tuck into camp." "But not into the camp of your enemies. At a time when your state took up arms against the Federal government, you stepped forth to fight for the Union, and it is in consideration of this fact that I grant to you an examination here in chambers, to save you every possible humiliation. And now I ask you--" "Jedge, I didn't come here to beg." "I understand that. I simply request a straightforward statement." "If you will let me give it in my own way, Jedge, you shall have it." "In your own way, Mr. Starbuck. Proceed." "Well, then, I'll begin at the beginnin'. Jedge, I live away up in the hills. My grandaddy settled there an' cleared off his field on a hill-side where the sun struck it a slantin' an' raised his co'n an' made his licker an' the gover'ment never said a word. One day him an' his two sons was a workin' in the field an' all of a suddent they heard a drum and fife over in the road. The boys looked with big eyes an' the old man clim' up on the fence and shouted, 'whut's the matter here?' and a man with red, white an' blue ribbons on his arm cried out, 'Old Andy Jackson needs soldiers to go to New Orleans.' An' my grandaddy he turns roun' to the youngsters an' says, 'Come on boys.' They went, suh, an' one of them boys he didn't come back. Wall, the years passed an' my daddy an' my oldest brother was a workin' in that same field, a raisin' of his co'n an' a makin' of his licker--an' mind you the gover'ment never had opened its chops, fur it was good licker--an' all at once jest like years befo' there came a beatin' of drums an' a blowin' of fifes over in the road. An' my daddy clim' up on the fence an' says, 'Whut's the matter now?' An' a man tuck a fife outen his mouth an' shouts, 'Mexico has trod on us an' we need soldiers.' An' my daddy turns, he does, an' says to my brother, 'Come on Bob.' They went, Jedge, an' Bob he didn't come back. Am I a makin' it too long?" "No, Mr. Starbuck, proceed." "Do it sound like I'm a beggin'?" "No" said the Judge, "it is the rude epic of my country. Go on."