Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 03.pdf/584

 The Giant Brakeman.

543

THE GIANT BRAKEMAN. By Irving Browne. [The court will take judicial notice that no man can sit four feet eight inches high. New York, etc., R. Co., 116 N. Y. 115.] T T UNTER, a brakeman on the top Of freight-car speeding o'er the rail, Was brought to an unpleasant stop By blow which laid him bloody, pale, And almost lifeless on the ground, Where subsequently he was found.

'T was in a tunnel that he lay, Wherein some low arch-fiend had reared An arch of brick in such a way That from the top of cars appeared Of space in which to stand upright Just four feet seven inches' height. This arch hit Hunter on the head While on the car he sat him down, And felled him to the ground like lead, With gash an inch below his crown, — At least such was his evidence; Of standing he made no pretence.

Of Hunter's height there was no proof; The judge unto the jury said, "You must determine if that roof Could possibly hit Hunter's head." The twelve, impartial, true, and good, At Hunter looked, and said it could. Brown, J. Now this court knows a thing or two; Tli is story is too big a boo. To sit and butt the roof of hall Four foot seven above his seat,

Hunter v.