He'll not be offended if I ask him, and here goes." He edged off through the crowd, and we saw him engaged in earnest conversation with the judge.

To our surprise and amusement we observed the judge climb hastily down out of his carriage and take Major Williams' arm.
Judge Reeves was a tall, thin man, whose long hair and beard were silvery white, yet his stature was erect and vigorous.

It was always said of him that he was the most dignified man in the State of Missouri, and that he carried this formality into every detail of his daily life.
The story ran that each night, when he and his aged consort retired, they stood, each with candle in hand, on either side of the great bed which all their married life they had occupied in harmony.

She, formally bowing to him across the bed, said "Good-night, Judge Reeves"; whereat he, bowing with yet greater formality, replied, "Good-night, Mrs.
Reeves." Each then blew out the candle, and so retired! I cannot vouch as to the truth of this story, or of the further report that they carried out their ceremony when seating themselves at table, each meal of the day; but I will say that the appearance of this gentleman would have given such stories likelihood.
We uncovered as the judge approached us, and he shook hands with us in the most solemn way, his own wide black hat in his hand.

"A--a--hem, gentlemen," he said, "a somewhat unusual situation for one on the bench--most unusual, I may say.