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The phrase " too thin " is generally regarded as j said : " Supposing we take the law which the gen an instance of American slang, and is supposed to tleman has quoted, and which in a philosophic find its proper place only in works devoted to that sense has been abrogated as null and void since now important branch of philology. In support of the birth of our Saviour, and see what the logical this theory one occasionally sees newspaper stories deduction would come to. For example, one man obviously manufactured for the purpose of ex kills another, another man kills him, and so on plaining the origin of this expression; and it has until we come to the last man on earth. Who's even been called in the English press, " a notable going to kill him? He dare not suicide, for that Americanism." same law forbids it. Now, Deacon," said the boy, The truth is, it has a most reputable English " what are you going to do with that last man?" paternity, having been used by Lord Chancellor The boy's logic called out rounds of applause, and Eldon, in an opinion delivered in the case of Pea vanquished the deacon. That boy is now Chief cock v. Peacock. The point under discussion was Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, whether " partnership, without any provision as to Melville W. Fuller. its duration, may be determined without previous notice." The eminent jurist decided that the ques Joseph G. Parkinson, of Chicago, is said to be tion was one for the court and jury to act upon, and summed up his opinion in these words : " I the only deaf and dumb lawyer in the country. cannot agree that reasonable notice is a subject He is associated with his twin brother, who does too thin for a jury to act upon; as in many cases not share his disabilities. When Mr. Parkinson juries and courts do determine what is reasonable was twenty-three years old, he was chief examiner notice." Here the expression was applied in what in the Patent Office at Washington, a place he we term its slang sense. — American Notes and held for six years. In 1879 he resigned, and soon afterward was admitted to practice before Queries. the United States Supreme Court. He now ranks as one of the most successful patent lawyers in the Survival of the Fittest. — The Legislature of country. — New York Sun. Maine, a few years since, passed a law for the prevention of cruelty to animals, in one section of which it was provided that societies for the pre "If the judges of the Supreme Court of the vention of such cruelty " may destroy old, maimed United States would refuse to do circuit duty, and and disabled horses and other animals; " while attend exclusively to the duties of the Supreme in another section it was provided that the word I Court, as they have the right to do, they could ' animal ' as used in the Act, " shall be held to in dispose of many more cases each year, and the clude every living creature." docket would soon decrease in the number of cases continued over from term to term. Short opinions would work a great reform in this court. The " Up- River News " gives the following rem Every surplus word should be removed from the iniscence of an incident in an Oldtown, Me., lyceum, opinions of this, the greatest and most important forty years ago, to which all the ministers, doctors, tribunal on earth." — Chicago Legal News. and lawyers of the town belonged. One evening capital punishment was the question under discus sion, and called out the best forces on both sides. The first volume of the " Oxford Dictionary" During the evening a young boy who had been a has been published in London. The aim of the constant member replied to Deacon Rigby upon work is declared to be " to furnish an adequate this question. The deacon was for hanging. The account of the meaning, origin, and history of Eng boy opposed. Said the deacon, quoting from the lish words now in general use, or known to have Mosaic law, " Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by been in use at any time during the last seven hun dred years. It endeavors (1) to show, with re man his blood shall be shed." Thinking this to be a bombshell to his oppo gard to each individual word, when, how, in what nents, he dwelt upon it, and until his time had shape, and with what signification it became Eng expired, when the boy sprang to his feet and lish; what development of form and meaning it