Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 24.pdf/448

 The Editor's Bag "Very well, begging your honor's pardon," said the eager advocate, with more zeal than prudence. "Very well, then, supposing that I should steal a horse —" "Ah, yes, yes," said the judge, "that is a very different thing, very different, Mr. Parker. Proceed, sir." PROFITABLE LITIGATION AMONG the curiosities of litigation may be cited the following case. On the boundary line of two farms in an Austrian village there grew a large gooseberry bush, from which the two farmers for years gathered the product. "What grows on my side is mine, and you may have the rest," was the agree ment. Some time ago the neighbors had a misunderstanding, and this came to a climax when the gooseberries became ripe. A lawsuit followed, and appeals were made to higher judicial bodies. The final decision was lately recorded in the Austrian courts. Each party is to have the right to pick the berries which grow on his side of the line, just as it was originally, but neither may destroy the bush. The costs are charged half to each liti gant. Each farmer had to pay two hundred and twenty-five krone. The yearly yield of the bush is worth about one-half krone, and the judge told the fighting farmers:

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"With good luck, it will take you only eight hundred years to make the bush pay. Take good care of it." ESCORTING THE COURT IN COLONIAL days York, Maine, was the county seat whereto the judges and lawyers from New Hamp shire and Massachusetts went. The court sessions were attended by much pomp and ceremony, as is evidenced by an entry in the journal of John Adams, who, as a young "barrister" went to York in 1774. "When I got to the tavern on the eastern side of the Piscataqua River, I found the sheriff of York and six of his deputies, all with gold-laced hats, ruffles, swords and very gay clothes, and all likely young men who had come out to that place to escort the Court into town." This bit of description by Adams gives us just a hint of the pomp and splendor affected by the court officials of those days, when the judges wore robes of scarlet with large cambric bands, and immense wigs, and the barristers had gowns and also bands and tie-wigs. As the judges approached the shire towns, the sheriff met them with an escort and flourish of trumpets. Their arrival was announced by cannon and the daily summons to the court before bells were introduced was by beating a drum.

The Editor will be glad to receive for this department anything likely to entertain the readers of the Green Bag in the way of legal antiquities, facetia, and anecdotes.

USELESS BUT ENTERTAINING "Now," said the lawyer, "please tell us how the altercation began." "I didn't see any altercation," replied the witness. "I was too busy watchin' the fight." — Chicago Record- Herald.

Georgia Lawyer (to colored prisoner). — "Well, Ras, so you want me to defend you. Have you any money?" Rastus. — "No; but I'se got a mule and a few chickens and a hog or two."