Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-01-02
OF Chief Justice Marshall.

Judge Marshall's simplicity of charac-
ter and Observation-Disclosures have been the
theme Of Q number of anecdotes The
one best known is about his puzzle over
the buggy and the sapling. Turning
aside one morning to avoid one of those
awful mud holes which abound iu Vir-
ginia country roads, the axle OF his bug
gy encountered stout sapling. The sap
ling 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
unconquerable. What to do he knew
not. He got down out Of the buggy the
better to apply his great intellect to the
up While bordering vainly, negro
man came along.
"Uncle," said the Chief Justice, II
wish you would tell me about this sap
ling. | can't get over it, and can't get
around it, and l don't want to stay here
all day and miss court. What do you
think | had better do?"
The negro could not suppress broad
but silent grin. "Why, old marster,"
said he, Il spec de bes' thing you kin do
is to back yo' buggy twill you get clar of
de saplin', den turn de hade (head) of yo'
boss, and den you kin void de saplin'
and 60 to cote slick as goose greese."
"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 ioyfully off.
| Another anecdote, illustrating the same
simple mlndedness and easy good natures
has, SO far as | am aware, never been in
print. It is this: When Judge Marshall
| lived in Richmond his opposite neighbor
was Colonel Pickett, father of the Con-
federate 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 con-
spicuous everywhere for their splendid
appearance, being as sleek, fat and high
spirited as abundant food and excellent
grooming could make them. Judge Mar
sball's horses, on the other hand, were
VIGOROUSLY lean and unkempt. Every
body but the Judge had long remarked
this. At last it was brought to his notice,
with the suggestion that his carriage
| driver 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:
"Dck, what is the reason Col. Pickett's
horses are in such splendid condition,
while mine are almost skeletons? / am
afraid you neglect them, don't half curry
them, and don't half feed them"
Dick, not expecting the attack, was
fairly posed. He hemmed and hawed
awhile till he could gather his negro wits
about him, and then said:
Mars John, look at you-is you fats'
"No," said the Judge; decidedly
not"
"Well, look at old miss (Mrs. Mar
shalll-"is she fat?"
ono"
"Den look at me-is fat?"
"No"
"Den look at yo' horses-is dey fats"
"No."
CHOW den, you jes' look at Kunnle
| Pickett. He fat. his ca'idge driver fat, his
horses fat, his dogs fatal fat DETROIT
| is, Mars John, fat run in the Pickett
family, and it don't run in our'n. OATS
| ALL"
"Well," said the Judge, after little
reflection, ''there is good deal in that.
It never occurred to me before" He
turned back into his study, and Dick was
never troubled any more. -Llppsfcosfs
| NGqdzsrae.