The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-12-07
agit and 8nmur.
Aneodote Of the First Chief Justice 9

'HNrN -Ai'iio'i Sah liieil1 vi thalhNttT
and Observation-Disclosures have been the
theme of a number of anecdotes. The
one best known is about his puzzle over
the buggy and the apling Turning aside
one day TO avoid one of those awful mud
holes which abound in Virginia. the axle
of his buggy encountered a stout sapling.
The sapling was between the hub of the
wheel and the body of the buggy Too
big to bend down and too supple to break,
this sappling seemed to the Judge to be
wholly unconquerable. What to do he
knew not He got down out of the buggy
the better to apply his great intellect to
the knotty subject, and to study it thor
oughly. While pondering vainly, a negro
man came along.
'Uncle, said the Chief Justice, Il wish
you would tell me about this sapling. /
cant 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 negro could not repress broad but
silent grin. "Why, ole MASTER said he,
Il spec de bes thing you kin do is to
back yo buggy till you git clear of der
saplin den turn de head of yo hoss, and
den you kin void de saplin' and go to
cote slick as goose-grease.
Thank you--thank you kindly, uncle,
| should never have thought of that in the
world. You are man of superior mind.
There's half a dollar for you And the
Judge drove joyfully off.
Another anecdote, illustrating the same
simple-mindedness and easy good nature,
has, so far as am aware, never been in
print. 1t is this When Judge Marshall
lived in Richmond, his opposite neighbor
was Colonel Pickett, father of the Confed-
crate General George L. Pickett, of Get
tysburg 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 every
where for their splendid appearance, being
as sleek, fat and high-spirited as abundant
food and excellent grooming could make
them, Judge Marshall's horses, ON the
other hand, were notoriously lean and un-
kempt Everybody but the Judge had
long remarked this At last it was brought
to his notice, with the suggestion that the
carriage-driyer neglected the horses. sold
much of their food, and appropriated the
money to his own use, good deal of it
going, no doubt, for liquor.
The Judge called him up without de-
lay: "Dick, what is the reason Colonels
Pickett's horses are in such splendid con
dition, while mine are almost skeletons?
am afraid you neglect them, don't half
curry them, and don't feed them.
Dick, not expecting the attack, was
fairly posed He hemmed and hawed
awhile till he could gather his wits about
him, and then said, "Mars John, look at
you-is you fat?'
"No," said the Enthusiastically not.
"Well, look at old miss (Mrs. Marshall)
is she fat
mo"
"Den look at me-is fat?n
'Den look at yo' hosses--is dey fat?n
aNo."
Now den, you jes look at Kunnel Pick
EFT, he fat, his ca idge-driyer fat, his horses
fat, his dogs fatal fat. De troof is,
Mars John, fat run in de Pickett family,
it don't run in our'n. OATS all.
"Well, said the Judge, after little re-
Election, there is good deal in that. 1t
never occurred to me before He turned
back into his study, and dick was never
troubled any more. -Lippmcotts Naga-
Eiae,