Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 14.pdf/548

 Rh the teacher. In other places the work is con sidered almost without value, as the law provides that no child can be compelled to attend school more than twelve week^ during one year. Those who are forcing children into the school argue that the influence may be of such good that it will keep them there for a longer term. The new law giving the judge of the district court the power to issue commitments against persons found guilty of being an inebriate to the depart ment for dipsomaniacs at the insane hospital in Mount Pleasant for at least a term of one year or longer if not cured of the habit, is having a universally good influence. A large army of men has been sent to the department, and the dread of the twelve months at the institution is said to have sobered some of the annoying in habitants of small communities. In the reign of Philip and Mary the grievance of long beards was not removed. An order was made in the Inner Temple that no fellow of that house should wear his beard above three weeks' growth upon pain of forfeiting twenty shillings. In the Middle Temple an order was made in the fourth and fifth of Philip and Mary, that none of that society should wear great breeches in their hose, after the Dutch, Spanish or Almain (German) fashion, or lawn upon their caps, or cut doublets, on pain of forfeiting three shil lings and fourpence; and for the second offence the offender to be expelled. In the first and second of Philip and Mary a gentleman of Lin coln's Inn was fined five groats for going in his study gown into Cheapside on a Sunday, about ten o'clock in the forenoon. — Braylefs Londiniana* An old and well known traveller, who has re cently settled in Chicago, while coming in from Pewee valley the other afternoon told an inter esting story about Henry Clay, the great Ken tucky statesman. The story teller in his youth lived in Mr. Clay's district during the time when Henry Clay was at his prime as a lawyer. "A man was once being tried for murder," said the narrator, " and his case looked hopeless indeed. He had without any seeming provoca tion murdered one of his neighbors in cold blood. Not a lawyer in the county would touch the case.

503

It looked bad enough to ruin the reputation of any barrister. "The man as a last extremity appealed to Mr. Clay to take the case for him. Every one thought that Clay would certainly refuse, but when the celebrated lawyer looked into the matter his fight ing blood was roused, and, to the great surprise of all, he accepted. "Then came a trial the like of which I have never seen. Clay slowly carried on the case, and it looked more and more hopeless. The only ground of defense the prisoner had was that the murdered man had looked at him with such a fierce, murderous look that out of self defense he had struck first. A ripple passed through the jury at this evidence. "The time came for Clay to make his defense. It was settled in the minds of the spectators that the man was guilty of murder in the first degree. Clay calmly proceeded, laid all the proof before them in his masterly way, then, just as he was about to conclude, he played his last and master card. "' Gentlemen of the jury,' he said, assuming the fiercest, blackest look and carrying the most undying hatred in it that I have ever seen, ' gen tlemen, if a man should look at you like this what would you do? ' "That was all he said, but that was enough. The jury was startled and some even quailed on their seats. The judge moved uneasily on his bench. After fifteen minutes the jury filed slowly back with a ' Not guilty, your honor.' The vic tory was complete. "When Clay was congratulated on his easy victory, he said : "' It was not so easy as you think. I spent days and days in my room before the mirror prac tising that look. It took more hard work to giv e that look than to investigate the most obtuse case.' " — Louisville Courier-Journal. Lord Stoweli, (Sir William Scott) pos sessed a pungent wit. A celebrated physician said to him, rather more flippantly than be seemed the gravity of his cloth : " Oh, Sir Wil liam, after forty a man is either always a fool or a physician." "Mayn't he be both, doctor? " was the re joinder, with an insinuating leer, and half drawl ing voice.