It impairs the intellect and undermines the constitution. To
the inhibition of Holy Writ is added the cumulative if inferential
prohibition of the Law, which declines to consider inebriety, though
extreme enough in degree to impair if not destroy the reasoning faculty,
in mitigation of crime of the highest---- dignity. If you had no beloved
family to whom your conduct would be an affliction, yet you have a duty
to yourself and to the Commonwealth which you have flagrantly violated.
To shocking inebriety you added the even grosser misdemeanor of
disturbing a Court in the exercise of its supreme function: the calm,
orderly, and deliberate administration of justice between the citizens
of the Commonwealth."

"But, Judge--?" began the young man.

A sharp cough from the Sheriff interrupted him and he glanced at the
Sheriff to meet a menacing shake of the head.

The strangeness of the scene and the impressive solemnity of the Judge
so wrought upon the young man that he began to whimper. He looked at the
Judge and once more opened his mouth to speak, but the Sheriff, called,
sharply:

"Silence!"

Creel glanced appealingly from the Judge to the Sheriff, only to meet
another imperative shake of the latter's head and a warning scowl. Then
the Judge proceeded, in a tone that showed that he was not insensible to
his altered manner.

"The Court, always mindful of that mercy whose quality 'is not strained,
but droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath,'
trusts that your recent incarceration, though brief, may prove adequate
to the exigencies of the occasion. It hopes that the incarceration
of one night in the common gaol may prove in case of a young man like
yourself sufficiently efficacious to deter you from the repetition of
so grave a misdemeanor, and at the same time not crush too much that
generous spirit of youth which in its proper exercise may prove so
advantageous to its possessor, and redound so much to the benefit of
the Commonwealth. The order of the Court, therefore, is that the Sheriff
discharge you from further imprisonment.

"Mr. Sheriff, conduct the young man to the door, caution him against a
recurrence of his offence, and direct him toward his home.

"We will now proceed to call the docket."

The court-room with another gasp broke into a buzz, which was instantly
quelled by the sharp command of the Sheriff for silence and order in the
court.

"But, Judge--" began Creel again, "I do