many of its best anecdotes and wittiest say ings. Let me cull a few only for your de lectation. It is to d of Ben Butler that shortly after his admission to the bar, many years ago, he was loitering about a country court house when a presiding judge suddenly summoned him to appear in court and ap pointed him counsel for a prisoner about to be tried for stealing a horse. "But, your honor," he demurred, " this is a charge that may result in sending the prisoner to the penitentiary if the case goes against him, and I do not like to undertake the responsibility of his defense." "Nonsense," exclaimed the court; "the case is not at all complicated, and I am sure you will handle it in a manner which will conserve all your client's interests." "I have had no chance, your honor, to acquaint myself with the facts in this case, and if the trial must proceed at once, I must beg to decline to represent the defendant," insisted the young attorney. "Your duty in the premises is clear," con tinued the court. " I will allow you suffi cient time to consult with your client and map out your line of defense. You may re tire with the prisoner into my private room for consultation. Thirty minutes will give you ample time. Go into that room; have the prisoner state his case fully to you; im agine yourself in his place, and advise him to do just what you yourself would do under such circumstances." "And if I do this, will the court hold me blameless for whatever may result?" asked the attorney. "Certainly, sir," replied the judge. The lawyer and his client retired for con sultation. At the end of thirty minutes the former came out of the private room and said, " Your honor, we are now ready to proceed." "Where is your client?" inquired the court. "I don't know, may the court please," replied the counsel.
A bailiff ran into the consultation room. A window twelve feet from the ground was open and there were two heel marks in the soft earth outside. " Only this and nothing more." Verbum sapienti suffieit. They sometimes have illiterate jurymen in England, which of course could never hap pen with us. It was in a suit for damages, an accident case. " You see, gentlemen," said the counsel for the defendant, compla cently, " I have got the plaintiff into a very nice dilemma. If he went there seeing that the place was dangerous, there was contrib utory negligence, and, as his lordship will tell you, he can't recover. If he did not see, it was negligence on his part not to see it. In either case, I am entitled to your verdict." The jury retired. " Well, gentlemen," said the foreman, " I think we must give him £300." All agreed except a stout, ruddy gentleman in the corner who cried hoarsely, "Give him another 50 guineas for getting into the dilemma. " Verdict accordingly. It is also related that Lord Norbury and Counselor Parsons were passing by the Naas jail in the judge's carriage, when Norbury noticing a vacant gibbet, observed, " Parsons, where would you be, if that gallows had its due? " Without a second's hesitation, Par sons responded, " Riding alone." So you see that the lawyer has some place in literature, even if it is only " to point a moral or adorn a tale." If I am not detaining you too long, you may pardon me for indulging in a personal reminiscence. I was in London last summer and at the special invitation of Lord Davey, one of the Queen's Privy Counselors, I was privileged to be present in the House of Lords where an interesting case was on appeal be fore the Lord High Chancellor and three noble lords representing the Law Committee of the House of Lords, the highest tribunal in England. The Lord High Chancellor is one of the homeliest men in the realm, but withal jolly and good-natured. In his ju dicial robes lined with ermine and with his
