Page:The first and last journeys of Thoreau - lately discovered among his unpublished journals and manuscripts.djvu/135

 "Gentlemen of the Jury: I don't know what your religion is, nor I don't care. I hain't got much myself, though Jesus Christ was a mighty good man. Now, gentlemen, I am one of those kind of men who live pretty fast. I believe men generally live over about the same surface: some live long and narrow, and others live broad and short."

Adverting to an old gentleman, one of the witnesses, he says:

"I would not like to charge him with perjuring himself, because he and I were members of the Council together. We were tolerable good friends, though always quarrelling. He was always on one side; he was just like the handle of this pitcher," taking up the pitcher and pointing to the handle. "Here, gentlemen, this was him, and here," pointing to the nose of the pitcher, "this was the estimable Moses, and these were our relative positions. I believe we never got so near as to drink a glass of water together, but I'll drink his health now anyhow," catching up the pitcher, and pouring down a strangler of whiskey. "As for the murdered man," he said, "he is dead; there is no doubt [87]