The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-12-06
Anecdotes of Chief.Justice Marshall.

Judge MarshalPs simplicity of char
acter and absent. mindedness have been
the theme of number of anecdotes.
The one best known is about his puzzle
over the buggy and the sapling. Turn
ing aside one day to avoid one of those
awful mud-holes which abound In Vir-
ginia cOuntry-roads, the axle Of his
buggy encountered stout sapling. The
sapling was between the hub of the
wheel and the body of the buggy. Too
big to bend ddown and toosupple to break
this saEling seemed to the judge to be
wholly unconquerablc. What to do he
knew not. He got down out of the
buggy the better to apply his great in
tellect to the knotty subject and tostudy
it thoroughly up. While pondering
vainly, a negro man came along.
"Uncle,' said the Chief.Justice, 81
wish you would tell me about this sap
ling. I can't get over it, and can't get
around it, and don't want to stay here
all day and miss court. What do you
think had better do?"
The old negro could not repress a
broad but silent grin. "Why, ole mas
ter" said he, 81 spec de bes' thing
you kin do is to back yo' buggy till
you git clar of de saplin,' den turn de
hade (head) of yo' hoss, and den you
kin void de sapin' and go to cote slick
as goose grease"
"Thank you-thank you kindly, un-
Gle, 1 should never have thought of
that in the world. You are man of
superior mind. There's half dollar
for you" And the judge drove joyful
ly off.
Another anecdote, illustrating the
same simple -mindedness and easy good
nature, has, so far as / am aware, never
been in print. 1t it this: When Judge
Marshall lived in Richmond his oppo-
site neighbor was Colonel Pickett, faith.
er OF the Confederate General George
e. Pickett of Gettysburg fame. Colonel
Pickett was man of wealth, lived well,
and was not content.unless everything
about his household bore the marks of
good living. His horses were his pride,
and were conspicuous everywhere for
their splended appearance, being as
sleek, fat and high.sprited as abundant
food and excellent grooming could make
them. Judge MarshalI's horses, on the
other hand, were notoriously lean and
unkcmpt. Everybody but the Judge
had long remarked this. AT last il was
brought to his notice, with the sugges'
tiOn that his carriage.driver neglected
the horses, sold much of their food, and
appropriated the money to his own use,
a good deal of it going, no doubt, for
liquor.
The Judge called him up without de
lay: "Dick, what is the reason Colonel
Pickctt's horses are III such splendid
condition, while mine are almost skel
etons? l am afraid you neglect them
don't half.curry them, and don't half
feed them"
Dick, not expecting the attack, wai
} fairly posed. He hemmed and haweC
awhile till he could gather his Negro
wits about him, and then said: "Mar
John, look at you--is you fat ?"
"No," said the Judge-"decidedI.
: not"
, "Well, look .at old miss" (Mrs. Nal
: shall)-is she fat?"
"No."
+ "Den look at me--is fat?"
"No.n
"Den look at yo' horses-is dey fat ?
"No."
- Snow den, you jes' look at Kunn
q Pickett. lie fat, his ca'idge driver ia
@ his horses fat, his dogs fatal fat. /
h troof is, Mars John, fat run in de Pic
IF EFT family, and it don't run in our
V OATS ALL"
l. SWELL" said the Judge, after lit
10 reflection, "there is a good deal in thu
1t 1t never occurred to me before" 1
III turned back into his study, and Di
a was never troubled any more,-LippI
IS, ooH'S Mo9o.ire.