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knowledge was wholly thrown away on him; those only who, with homely logic, spoke plainly, briefly, and to the point might hope to move him with words. Often before the first witness had concluded his testimony his quick discernment had reached an opinion, and his mind once made up, nothing could shake it.

One day a physician appeared before the court asking judgment for five hundred dollars from the captain of a ship for attending such of the crew as were sick during the voyage. The doctor had shipped as passenger, and the demand was widely at variance with the value of his services. The case was briefly presented, and a witness called whom the judge instructed to tell what he knew about it in as few words as possible. This done, the plaintiff's attorney called another witness, but the judge informed him that further evidence was unnecessary. The witness had told a plain simple story, the court understood the case thoroughly, and its mind was made up.

"Very well," said the counsel, **but you will certainly hear us speak as to the points of law in the case «

" That would be entirely useless," replied the judge, "and we have no time to waste. The plaintifl* is awarded one hundred and fifty dollars; call the next case."

In a more pretentious court this case would have occupied one, two, or three days, and miglit easilj'have been postponed from time to time so as to consume as many weeks or months. Half an hour sufficed Judge Almond to dispose of it as fairly and equitably as anyone, however learned or skilled in the law, could have done in six weeks or six months. Half the award went to the plaintiff"'s attorney, leaving the doctor, even at that rate, well paid for his services, and there was an end of it.

Frank Turk on a certain occasion ha^dng business before this court, with profound respect on entering removed his hat, a broad-brimmed, pointed-crown,