Middletown transcript., 1872-12-14
Anecdotes Of Chief Justice Narshall.

Judge Marshsll's simplicity Of char.
actss aud absent. miudsdness have been
the theme Of number Of anecdotes. The
one best known 10 about bis pussls over
the buggy and the sspling Turning
aside one day to avoid enc VI those awful
mud. .holcs which abound in Virginia
county roads. tho axle Of his buggy en-
countered stout sspling. 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 sapling
seemed to the Judge to be wholly uncon-
querable. What 10 do he knew not. lie
got down out Of the buggy the better to
apply bis Crea. intellect to the kno,ty
subject and 70 s,sdy i. thoroughly up.
Whilo pondering vainly . negro man
came along.
Uncle" said tho chief-justice. II
wish you would tell me about this sapling.
I can't get over il. and can't get around
it, and don't want to stay here all day
aud miss court. What do you think I
bad better do ?"
The negro could not reprsss broad
but silent grin. why, ole marster,"
said he, II spec de bes' thing you kin
do is to back yo' buggy twill you git clsr
Of de sapln' den turn de hads (head) Of
yo' hoss. and den you kin void de sapliu'
and 60 to cote slick as goose grease"
Thank you-tbank you kindly. un-
Gle. 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 joyfully of.
Another anecdote, illustrating the same
-mindedncss and easy good-na.ure.
has, so far as anu aware, never been 10
print, |, is this: When Judgs Marshall
lived in Richmond, his opposite neighbcr
was Colonel Pickett, father Of the Confcd-
crate General George Z. Pickett. Of Get
,ysburg fame Col Pickett was a man
q wealth, lived well, and was not ccnten,
unless everything about his household
bore the marks Of good living His horses
were his pride, and were conspicuous
everywhere for their splendid appearance,
being sleek. fat, and high.spirited ns a.
bgndant food and excellant grooming
could make them Judge Marshall's S
horses. ou the other hand were notorious
ly lean and unkempt. Everybody bu,
the judge had remarked this A, last i,
was brought to his notice. with the sug-
ges'ion that his carriage-driver neglected
the horses, sold much Of their food, and
appropriated the money to his own use a
good deal Of i. going. no doubt. sor liquor
The Judge called him up without de.
lay : Dick. what is the reason Colonel
Pickett's horses are in such splendid con.
dtion. while mine are almost skeletons
| am afraid you neglect them, don't hall
curry them. and don't half feed them"
Dick not expecting the attack, wa.
fairly posed He hemmed and hawed a
while till ho could gather his negro wit,
about him, and then said Mars John
look at you-is you fa,?'
No. said the Judge decidedly not.
We'll, look a, old Mis-" (Mrs, Mar
shall) lis she fat -
NO
Den look at me-is | fat -
No"
Den lcQk at yo' hOrscs-is dey fat 2
No"
! Now den. you jes look at kunne
Pickett. lie fat, his caiige-driver fa.
his horses Cat. his dogs fat-all fat. d
troof is. Mars John, fat run in do Picke,
fam ly. and it don't run in our'n. Dat
all.
We'll" said the judge. after a it'll
reflection ,thore is good deal in tina,
a II never occurred to me before" II
, turned back into his study, and Dick wa
: nsvcr troubled 4ny more.-Lippinco,,'
!, Magazine.