SOME IOWA JUSTICE. BY JAMKS S. WOODHOUSE. IT was an ouster proceeding in Iowa, before a country squire. Because one of the jus tices in the township was plaintiff, the case had to be carried over muddy roads to the rich old Irish farmer's house. The party found a hearty welcome, and, while dinner was cooking for the country friends and city lawyers, the official set down the title of the case after the one which had been docketed eleven months before. "The furst thing to be done," said the squire, as he settled down in an easy chair behind the sitting room centre table, "is fur the plaintiff, Mister Krall, to furnish a cost bond." Thereat the city attorney who was prose cuting the case arose and started to speak. "Nlow, look here, youse moight jus' as wall sit down, fur phat I say goes in this court. Ain't thot right, Mister Sadelick?" "That's right," said the defending attorney. "Now if the court please "started the plaintiff's lawyer. "Yez moight jus' as well sat down fur " "But, your honor, we'll have to pay the costs anyway, according to the statute." "Well, I don't know about thot, but if Mr. Krall says he will poy if he gets beat or looses, why—well, will yez poy, Mister Krall?" An affirmative answer satisfied the judge, and he called forth, "Projuice yer evidence." The defendant attempted to introduce evi dence to show that the rent had all been paid up to the present time, and of course the plaintiff's lawyer objected. "Now, yez moight jus' as wall sit down
again, fur the man can show if he has paid his rint." "But, your honor," protested the lawyer, "it is immaterial. We are not asking for any rent. All we want is possession." "Wall, now, yez can have possession, but not unless I know that the rint ain't paid." "But, your honor " "Now, yez moight jus' as wall sit down. I want to know if he has paid his rint, anyway. Proceed with the case. "And, phat's that yez say? Thot te plain tiff's horses ate up the hay in the defindant's barn? Now, sure, Mister Krall, yez ought to pay the poor man for his hay." "But," put in the lawyer, "that is not an issue of this case. The evidence is immaterial in regard to this ouster proceedings." "Now yez sit down. I want to know whose horses ate thot hay, and if Mr. Krall's did, the defindant is entoitled to rint to the extent of the damage." And the plaintiff's lawyer, almost in a frenzy over his fruitless efforts to conduct the case along lines of law, sat down in disgust while his opponent, who was agreeing with the judge, was holding his sides because of laughter. "Sure and I'll foind," said the judge, when all the evidence was in, "that the plaintiff, Mr. Krall over there, can have possession of the house and the barn three weeks from today —can yez get out by thot time, Mister Ren ter? All roight; three weeks from today, but upon me soul, I still think Mister Krall oughter pay for that hoy."
