The Portland daily press., 1871-10-12
better than a CaudIs Lecture.

One of the best of the many stories told lin
connection with the official action of Mrs.
Justice-ofthe Peace Morris, of Sweetwater
county, Wyoming, is by Cheyenne cores
pondent of the New York Sun; and it indi-
Gates, besides, some of the delicate questions
which must arise with the assumption by wo-
men of duties which belong only 10 the other
sex. Mr.. Morris, the gentle husband OF Mrs.
Morris, had, it seems, a bad habit OF taking
social glass occasionally and one day duIins
the lady's absence at court, and when he
should have been attending the babies, his
friends--for the purpose of making test case
doubtess-phed him with liquor until be was
drunk, and then had him arresfed and taken
before his wIie, the justice. This was the re-
suit:
Mr. Morris's head was not sufficiently clear
to comprehend the situation. de began TO
assert his sovereign rights in contempt OF
court until suddenly brought up by the officer
in obedience To the courts order. Seeing tnat
things had changed somewhat, and that
Otheilo's occupation had been at least sus-
pended, he begun to expostulate first with
the officer, until informed by that iunctionary
that he had no discretion but was acting un-
der action OF the court.
"Who is the court (hic)?" inquired Mr..
Morris. Gu being informed ithat the occu-
pant of the bench was the judge, Mr. Morris
looked at the Justice with a puzzled air :,
scrai ching his head in an effort to collect his
scattered thoughts, and calculated, "Uer-her
-ihlc)-you d fool-she's my wite-(hicl
| she is-that' Esther-my wife Esther
you're drunk, or-oh, don't bother me incl"
4 and he started to go.
| clock up the prisoner for contempt Of
4 court" said Mrs. Morris to the officer.
| "What have you 10 say about it, eh ?" blur.
| ted out Mr.. Morris, staggering menacng to-
ward the judge.
You will find / have all to say abont 1t.
| Offieer, lock him up, replied her honor.
Although badly mixed, Mr.. Morris began to
get a glimmer of the truth, and began a par
ley: 49,.
| in hurry. l didn't mean anything wrong
| ] want to Just talk with my vile a minute.
| Now, Esther, what's the use of foohn'? you
| jst git down out O. there and go home and
behave yourself. Pll tend to this little diff
Guilty myself. Now go right aloi g, the baby
| wants nursing. / had to give it to Mrs. Wins.
| low to get it to sleep when l came down.
| He's hungry, for he won't use thar old bottle
| and don't blame him either. The dishes
/ amt washed nor the beds made. neither
And what's more, amt gon' to do il any
more, now. You hear that. Now start
along"
By the time Mr.. Morris had delivered him
sell of this, his tone had changed as his feel
inss warmed from that of expostulation TO
that of command again, and the officer forced
him into the rudely constructed lookup ia
the rear of her honor's court and there Mr..
Morris was left TO reflect upon the situation,
and gaze upon the dividing wall bel ween
himself and vile as the dividing line between
mans and woman's rights under this new dis
pensatlon. On the following morning Mr..
Morris was arraigned before her honor, and
in the most sober aud snbdued manner, and
with the deepest humiliation, pleaded guilty,
asked the pardon of the court for contempt,
begged Its clemency and then awaited his SEN
tence with humanity and resignation. After
gigIng the prisoner a Caudle lecture as
amended by the laws of Wyoming, her honor
imposed the usual fire and required The prs-
| oner TO give bonds to keep the peace, upon
which the court offered to let hum go, and Mr..
Morris vanished