The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1843-06-29
SUIT IN CHANCERY.

ScAA In
Larger vS. an Elm Tree.-New
mode of 'getting the case.' The following
is from the New York Transcript, and l
suppose is as true as ever. Read it law
yers, but be very careful about laughing
while you read it. You may grin little,
though
ECCENTRICITIEs OF A MAD MAN.
Mr. -, lawyer in Vermont, do
ing good business, at once became in
sane, and took il into his head to abandon
the practice oflaw, and engage in basket
making. He was al first very awkward
hand at this employment, but by dint of
perseverance, he soon became very skill
iui, and could weave basket as well as
he had formerly woven an argument at the
bar. He followed this business about six
months, when taking new notion into
his head, he abandoned it for that of char
botomlng
Tbs material used in this business was
bark, which is stripped from the trees in
summer, when it peels mos! easily
Having come home one day covered from
head to foot with mud, he was asked
where he had been, that he had got so
thoroughly bedaubeI. He answered, that
he had been IN neigh5oring swamp af-
ter elm bark, of which he exhibited a
strip about forty feet long.
Do you remark this?" said he tri.
umphantIy.
Yes; but how does this account for
your being so muddy? 1t is MT usual 10
find mud on the top OF a tree"
Ono, but you may sometimes find it at
the bottom. though. I'll tell you how
found it. cot the bark near the root of
the tree, and then stripped it upwards, ex-
pectiug it would come to an end and break
off, and run itself out after a while. But
it hung on like suit in chaucerv-and |
stript, and strpt, until it run up forty feet,
and as strong as ever. Thinks | to N.Y.
self, there is no use in pursuing the thing
any farther, and so | X enter nolle
yrosequi But not TO lose the benefit of
what had done-that was the point 10 DE
decided. | wished at least 10 save costs.
But pshaw! forgot-l IN not lawyer
now. Well, as was saying, looked a!
the subject 10 see how | could secure the
bark. 1t was too strong for me to break
off At any rate, thought l. there's more
ways than one to skin a cat: if cannot
break otfthis bark, can climb up by it.
No sooner thought than done. | seized
hold of the strip, and placing my feet
against the trunk Of the tree, ran up hand
over hand. BY this method of climbing,
you will perceive that my back must have
ham do vi and rl,, IN bOr
tai position, my feet being braced against
the tree, and my head standing from it in
an angle ofnearIy ninety degrees. Hav-
ing arrived at the proper height l was
then in quandary how to get my knife
out Of my pocket, and how TO get it open
when it was out. II | let go with one
hand, was fearful the other would not
hold me. However, says |, it's neck or
nothing. LII try the experiment at any
rate-so I gripped powerfully with my
left hand, while | took out my knife with
my right, and opening it with my teeth,
whipped off the bark as clean as the law
would dock an entail. And what Go you
think was the result2"
"Why, you came down fiat on your
back, of course"
Right, gentlemen ofthe jury-a very
correct verdict indeed. came down flat
in the mud. Never was a client laid fiat
ter on his back than I, and never was one
so completely bedauoed with filth ard
mud. But, thanks to the yielding nature
ofthe soil, | saved my bones and only
brought away the mischief on my coat
gained my cause too-which is more
than can say Of all my undertakings
The company laughed heartily at the
ex-!awyer's account Of his exploit, while
the latter, hanging his coat up in the sun,
said that the mud, like the old woman's
grease, would rub off when it was drv.
He continued awhile longer 10 follow
his occupation of chair bottoming, when
suddenly becoming sane again, he resum.
ed the practice Of law, and has, ever since,
preferred laying his opponents on their
backs, 10 legal way, to being laid on
his own in so ludicrous a. manner as that
above related