The Green Bag
160
canyon’ far enough to learn of a new road to Hades, and my belief that he has
landed there by now amounts almost to a conviction. 1 have been taught by ‘Moon faced Adams,’ the peg-legged guide and broncho buster, that oxen can climb trees when necessary, and that a mule
can be so trained that its bray sounds like a sweet whisper of love. Since reading this —— er -— book, I have learned
that I have hitherto been an unlettered and unlearned citizen. “There is no limit to the expensive ideas compressed between the richly illuminated lids of your handsome dona tion to the Court, and in order, gentlemen,
that you may gather some ideas of my humble appreciation,I will say that by a careful perusal of these pages I have gained richer information than has been
vouchsafed me during all the years of my contact with the Hannibal bar.
Gentlemen, the Court thanks you. Mr. Clerk, call the jury."
THE LAW IN MAN ORMERLY, the Isle of Man had many unique laws, most of them
being the outgrowth of peculiar condi tions upon the island, and which, while perfectly reasonable there, would have been absurd elsewhere. For instance, to take away a horse or an ox was not a felony, but a trespass,
but to steal a pig or a fowl was a capital crime. The reason for this was found in the fact that, owing to the of the island, it was impossible nently oonoeal or make use of, sell a horse or ox, so that
hardly have been reasonable to regard as a theft the taking away of such animals, when their recovery by the owner was only a matter of a few hours,
or days at the outside. On the other hand, pigs and fowls could be readily converted to the thief's use, either as food for himself, or as a readily salable
commodity, thoroughly disguised by the process of dressing.
GREATER AMBITIONS JUDGE in the municipal courts in New York has a son of whose brightness he and the boy's mother are extremely proud. Recently the family received a visit from a maiden aunt who is quite wea‘thy and intensely puritanical. Bobby was brought into the library to meet his august relative, and for some time comported himself with great dignity, and Auntie was evidently favor ably impressed.
As she was chatting
with him, she said: "Now you are such a bright little man, that when you grow up I suppose you will be a great judge and sit on the bench like your father." "Not much," said Bobby emphatic
ally—- "I'm going room!"
to
run
a pool
smallness to perma much less it would
The death penalty
seemed none too severe to the stern and upright natives.
THE SCALES OF JUSTICE E ARE used to representing the figure of Justice holding out scales, yet our system of punishment for crime hardly carries out the idea suggested,
the balancing of good and ill. The ancient Persians went upon this very charitable theory: that to be good, it was not necessary never to do amiss,
but was was and
to do for the most part that which right. Therefore, when a person accused of any breach of the laws, even clearly proved to be guilty,
he was not immediately condemned to punishment, but a careful inquiry was
made concerning the whole course of his life, in order to determine whether the good or the evil actions in it had
