Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-12-19
af(isttll
THE IMPERTURABLE WITNESS.
A GOOD STORY.

Colonel Z, B. Thorpe, in an article on
"Fox Hunting" in late number of Har-
per'S Nogagine, makes one Of his char
.acters tell this funny story of an imper
turable witness.
."Some years ago." said our narrator,
who had very twinkling eye and dur
able red color on the end of his nose,
some legal business causel me to sojourn
for few days in a little neighboring
town, which, though now boasting of
numerous population, was, at the time of
which | speak, possessed of but little
more than rude court house, tavern
and blacksmith shop. The onl active
life the place ever witnessed was at "court
term," and our "reminiscences even at this
moment are vivid that we found our time
anything but easy on our hands. The
Judge who presided over the bench was
man of superior character familiar
with the world and with the members of
the bar ; altogether superior to the rude
surroundings with which they were asso-
ciated ; the contrast therefore betwC en-
the members Of the profession and the
permanent residents in the vicinity was
necessarily very striking. ..
eat the time of which l speak, a man
by the name of Parker, one of the local
dignitarics, had been sued upon an open
account which he denied owing. and it
rested upon the plaintiff Glass, to prove
the Indebtedness.
ga queer sort Of genius nomcd Brim-
1pn .hn Ia Epi ~
hunting and doing odd jobbs, as occasion
required, was subp@naed by Glass as his
witness.
"Thc proceedings of the court were
conducted, as might be supposed, in
rather familiar way; the Judge, though
a man of great natural iirmness, was lit
tie disposed to be eXacting in his de-
mands upon the enforcement of mere
forms, and so long as no legal principle
was invaded and his dinner hour not in
terlered with by business, everything was
as cozy and comfortable as possible
"Aiter day of more than unusual ex-
element, when there had really beer
something before the court which called
forth legal acumen in the pleadings, hav
put the Judge up to his mettle in othel
words after hard days work had beer
performed, and judge, lawyers, attending
Iiurymen and witnesses had really become
fatigued and hungry, as the judge was OF
the point Of ordering an adjournment o
the court, the landlord of the tavern hav
ing openly announced in court that din
ner of fat venson was on the table, at
tnat particular moment Mr.. Sharp
Glass's lawyer, rose and said
"May it please your Honor, my client
Mr.. Glass, wishes to prove an account
The only witness in the case is present
if the court please to hear the testimony
which will not consume moment
The Judge, impatient as he was for tho
dinner, hesitated for moment and con
scented. The case was called, "Glass VS.
Parker; :" the witness, Brimlon, was pu
on the stand, the Judge in the act o
leaving the court had actually put on hi'
hat. and removed it to hear the testimony
a which would only take moment.
Brimlon, meantime, was duly sworn
and asked in familiar way what he knew
/, about the disputed account, but, insteal
of properly answering, he stood still
r looking severely and reprovingly at tn
spectators who were bustling about an
finally by staring all present into silence
r the Judge absolutely setting back in hi
y chair, as if suddenly impressed with tn
idea that he, too, must be profoundly al
= tentive. This having been accomplished
Brmlon, commenced as followa:
at was beautiful evening" sha
: never forget that evening The sun wa
setting in the west, where there was
very curious cloud, funnel shaped, with
large head to it, and then sort o. comiH
gs down to leetle eead-it was, in fact,
70 rail beautiful evening"
When the witness had proceeded TIN
g far, the counsel for the defense, much
O. the qualification of all present, pettlSn
exclaimed: