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The Green Bag

reproach and highly honorable, if not pre-eminent. It is quite possible that that record was, by comparison, some what dimmed by reason of the greater ability, not to say brilliancy, of some of his associates, particularly Chief Jus tices Dixon, Ryan and Orton. Never theless his judicial career was charac terized by industry, integrity and a firm and steadfast purpose to administer legal justice in accordance with law and the rules of the court. He was an excep tionally conscientious judge and his opinions are absolutely free from the external influence which sometimes influ ence courts. One of the notable opinions which Justice Lyon wrote for the Court is re ported in the 76 Wis. 177, and is entitled, State ex rel. Weiss et al. v. District Board of School District, etc. The opinion dis

cusses the question of the reading of the Bible in the common schools of the state; holds that such reading, though unaccompanied by any comment, has a tendency to inculcate sectarian ideas, and is, therefore, sectarian instruction within the meaning of the constitutional provision, which prohibits such instruc tion. The opinion is exhaustive, was, evidently, prepared with great care, and seems to have had the effect to settle, for all time, the very interesting and delicate questions there considered. There are those who believe that Jus tice Lyon, in writing this opinion, deliv ered the views of the Court when his own sympathies were very much the other way. Be that as it may, his death marks the passing of a noble character, a kind altogether too rare both on the bench and off of it.

A Warranty Deed By Guy Blue

A NOTARY dreamed of the woodland, Of blue grass, of meadow and glade; Of the stream that watered the valley; Of the cottage deep set in the shade. He drafted a deed to the landscape, No Section or Range did he state; The jurat was minus the county, The deed bore never a date. The record was not what he'd have it, For a dreamer must sometime awake; And clients may possibly tumble To a thing that is wholly a fake.