Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 07.pdf/601

 558 will be heard there from the end of the present term until Judge Walton returns to the Portland court-room again. "Tuesday, when the work of assigning cases was in progress, a case was called with which Hon. A. A. Strout is connected, and the opposing attorney said : 4 If it please the court, Brother Strout is fishing.' "The court looked grave, and another at torney said : ' He's after a bear.' "' I suppose,' said the court, ' that you mean that he is on his vacation.' "' Yes, your Honor.' '•'This matter of a vacation has grown up within the past few years,' said the court. ' We didn't know the meaning of the word vacation a few years ago. I can understand that some people may take a vacation, but I do not understand how it is that professional people can do it. How doctors and lawyers and ministers can go off, leaving their professional business to look after itself, I am not able to compre hend." "The case was continued, however, and Mr. Strout's interests will not suffer because of the fact that he is off fishing, with strong designs on a bear." And the same writer tells how the Judge talks upon the relations of the press to the court : — "Wedrfesday morning, after the cases were disposed of and all motions heard, Judge Walton looked at the reporters and astonished them by saying, ' Now, gentle men of the press, can I do anything for you? ' "' No, your honor,' replied one of the scribes, feeling that something must be said" Then the court proceeded to give the re porters a very bright, if sometimes sharp, lecture on their duties as the court looked at the matter, and of what ought and what ought not to be printed. "Then, half relenting, Judge Walton closed by saying, 'Well, I know you are all in

competition and while you'll applaud me, you 'll all go out and keep on in your pres ent ways. You have to give the public what the public wants to read.' "There are few brighter men in this State than Judge Walton, and there is certainly no more upright and honored judge on the bench." A pure, grim humor sometimes pervades his replies. He had imposed sentence upon a criminal convicted of a flagrant offense, who was well along in years and infirm in health. The sentence seemed severe to members of the Bar present. One of them, on account of his prominence, feeling on easy terms with the court, said to the Judge that the sentence was manifestly too long. "He won't live a quarter of the time." "Well," replied Judge Walton, " I don't want to be too severe. I will change it and make it for life, if you say so." One time in the lobby an ornamental member of the Bar, in order to show that his professional income was very large, was stating to some legal brethren, and his con versation being partially directed to Judge Walton, " It seems rather a large story to tell, but my expenses are six thousand dol lars a year; it costs me that much to live." The Judge replied instantly, " Brother S., it is too much; I wouldn't pay it; it isn't worth it." Nothing pleases the Judge more than direct, truthful answers to his questions. Sam F. was drawn to serve on the grand jury, and desiring much to get excused, procured his friends and members of the Bar to intervene for him, but without suc cess. As a last resort he applied to the Court himself. The Judge inquired what his business was and what reasons he had for being excused. Sam naively told him he was steward of the Commodore Club, at Moose Fond, and that he had been obliged to leave a party of its members, who had just arrived from Boston, in order to be present in court. To the surprise of all