Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 03.pdf/625

The. Green Bag. ness of their nurses the children had become sellor pointed him to a chair, and went on to finish mixed; and how were the mothers to make sure a letter he was writing, which he at length sealed that they had received back their own infants? and handed to a messenger. Then turning to his "But, perhaps," said the lawyer, " the children client, he said, " Mr. B., I must be in court in were n't changed at all." " Oh, but there 's no twenty minutes. Please to state the facts in your doubt that they were changed! " said the phy case as tersely as you can, and I will give you my sician. "'Are you sure of it?" "Perfectly." best attention." But Mr. B. could not help stating "Well, if that 's the case, why don't you change his own views of the law as he proceeded, and it them back again? I don't see any difficulty in i was pretty obvious that he would not be able to finish his statement within the time allowed. The the affair." old lawyer sat silently, but subirascing vehemently "This makes the third time that you have ap the while, till the twenty minutes expired; and peared before me charged with begging on the then, taking out his watch, he rose to depart and streets," said the Judge, " and I shall have to send said, "Good-morning, Mr. B. Were you always you up for thirty days." such a damned fool? " Mr. B. was not pleased "Please don't do it, Judge," sobbed the woman. at this, and he innocently complained of it to a "I have a large family to support, and what would friend, from whom at second hand the writer de my husband and my children do if you were to rived it send me up?" When, at one time, the proceedings of a court "Your husband? Have you indeed a which he was attending near an establishment of husband?" certain Shakers in New Hampshire were not in "Yes, your honor," said a man, stepping for teresting to him, Mr. Mason was invited by Judge ward from the crowd. " I am her husband, and Warren to visit that institution, and they rode over I want to ask you to be lenient with her. She I to it. On arriving and knocking at the door, they makes out like she 's too sick to work; but if you i were met by one of the brethren. Judge Warren let her off this time, I 'll see to it that she works said that if it were agreeable they would like to in the future and supports her family." look over the interesting establishment. The "I don't think you will," said the Judge. " In Shaker gave no answer, but gazed intently at the fact, I am going to let the woman go, and send very tall and portly figure of Mr. Mason. The you up for six months as a vagrant. You have no judge repeated his request a second time in vain, visible means of support." the doorkeeper still staring at his huge visitor; and And the man muttered as he was marched out : when it had been again vainly repeated, Mr. "No visible means of support! Good Lord! Mason's patience gave way, and he rapped out, Ain't my wife in court?" '•Damn your soul, Sir! can't you speak?" "Friend," said the quiet janitor, " by thy looks and thy language, I take thee to be Jeremiah Mason." As the gentleman had by this time grown old and become pious, and was very much NOTES. ashamed of his regretted habit of swearing, the As an example of euphemism, the verdict of an scene had to drop at once, and the judge hurried Omaha, Neb., coroner's jury probably stands alone. his friend to their chaise and departed. It was impanelled to take action on the case of a On another occasion, when in the trial of a negro who had been hanged by a mob; and after cause the presiding justice interposed a question a careful review of the facts, which were admitted, to the witness on the stand, Mr. Mason rose and it brought in a verdict that the man had been said : " Stop a moment, Mr. Witness. If it please .• frightened to death by unknown persons." — the court, I should like to know on which side this Exchange. question is asked, — if on our side, we don't want it; if on the other, it ain't competent." The celebrated Jeremiah Mason was once waited upon by the president of an insurance company, a Japanese justice as dealt out in some sections somewhat pompous gentleman, who wished to of the country has the effect of making business in consult him upon a question of law. The coun