Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-03-10
AN INGENIOUS DEFENCE

AN INGENIOUS DEFENCE.
Mr. Sergeant Vaughan, as a bar
rister, occasionally performed some
generous actions. Several years ago,
while on his way to the Chelmsford
assizes, he went with an intelligent
Fellow traveller on the coach. The
Sergeant, who was on such occasions
very fond of what he used to call a
little agreeable chat with any talk
ative person he CHANGED to meet, soon
drew his travelling companion into a
lively conversation with him. Hay-
ing always had sparkling of Yam
kee curiosity, he generally eontrived
to worm out, by process impercs -
tible to the party himself, what he
wished to learn regarding him. On
the occasion alluded to, Mr..
Vaughan was not long in ascertain
ing from his companion that he was
also going to Chelmsford assizes,
which were to be held on the follow
ing day. ''As a iuryman no doubt ~
said Mr. Vaughan, on learning the
fact itself.
mo sir, not as juryman,' said the
other
''Oh !as witness, / should have
said"
Il
1t was as pleasant as that
''Oh! l see how it is, you are the
prosecutor in some case which is pain
full to your feelings. However. such
things Will happen, there is no help
for them.n
on are still wrong in your con-
lecture, sir am going to pay away
money for relative who has a case
in the assizes."
All! that's it. Very unpleasant,
certainly, to pay money" observed
the learned Sergeant.
III IS, indeed, for those who have
little to spare" observed the other.
Well, Sut | hope it is not any
serious amount
"Why, the magnitude of the sum,
you know, depends upon the resour-
ces of the party who has to make
the payment"
Very true certainly, very true, i"
said Mr.. Sergeant Vaughan.
The sum is E1o0, which, to one
of my limited means, is very large,
indeed"
ooh +! but perhaps YOU expect TO
he repaid in some way or other
againn''
That's very uncertain it depends
entirely on whether my relative,
who has just taken a public house
there, succeeds in business or not. 3"
Well, II is certainly hard ease, -
observed Mr. Sergeant Vaughan
with serious and emphatic air.
Aye, YOU would say 50 If you only
knew il all"
Indeed Are there any peculiar
circumstances in the case2'i
.'fhere are, indeed, - answered the
4, L
sigh and a groan.
as tire matter Il secret?n iuduir-
81 Mr. Sergeant Vaughan, his curl
osity being now wound up 10 more
than an ordinary pitch.
Not in the least, f" said the other.
i Will tell you the story il you do
not think il tireSome,n he added
Il am all anxiety To hear it, said
: the learned man.
well. them said the other,
about six weeks since a respectable
Z corn-de;1er in London, when on his
way To Chelmsford, met on the coach
with two persons who were perfect
strangers To him. The strangers
soon entered into conversation with
him, and having learned the object
al his visit To Chelmsford, said that
they We're also going on there on n
make some purchase OF corn. After
further conversation together, it was
suggested bv one of the parties that
il would he much better for all three
ii they could come To an understand
ing together, rs 10 what amount OF
purchase they should make, and
under what particular circumstances
these purchases should be made for
if they went into market slap dash,
the result would be that in 80 small
a place rs Chelmsford they would
raise the prices, whereas, by operat-
ing slowly and in concert, that would
Ge avoided.
The second party pretended To
approve highly of the suggestion,
ami further prosposed, in order TO
show that neither had the start of
each other, that they should deposit
the same sum OF money IN the hands
of the respectable landlord of the
principal inn: taking care shat they
did If in the presence of witnesses,
anti that special ins lructionS should
be given 10 the landlord not 10 give up
"A farthing to either. untilall three re
turned together 10 receive the whole
adding, that If he did he would be
held responsible The London mer-
chant knowing the landlord of the
inn To be n man of undoubted res
probability. at once assented 10 the
proposal, and each of the three par
ties accordingly placed in his hands,
Under the circumsta nces stated,
$50, making $50, in ALL"
"Well,n said Sergeant Vaughan,
well, you certainly do interest me
in your singular story. And what
was the result ~
why, this-that scarcely had the
three parties lett the inn minute,
when one of the two strangers came
running back, and said that on a Sc