The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1873-02-26
Anecdotes Of the Late Chief Justice
Marshall.

Under the head Of "Monthly GOSSIP" in
Liapincott's Magazine, we find tie follow
ing.
"Judge Marshall's simplicity of charac-
ter and absent-mindednee have been the
theme of number Of anecdotes. The one
best known is about his puzzle over The
buggy and the sapling. Turning aside
one day to avoid one of those awful mud
holes which abound in Virginia 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 down, and
too supple to break, this sapling seemed
to the Judge 10 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
10 study it thoroughly up. While ponder
ing yainly, o negro man came alone
"Uncler said the Chief Justice, ~ wish
YOU would tell me about this sapling. |
can't get over it, and can't get around
il, and don't want to stay here all day
and miss court. What do you think ! had
better dot" The negro could not repress
a broad but silent grin. "Why, ole mars.
ter, said he, 81 spec de bes thing you
kin do is to back go buggy till you git
clear NV dc saplin', den turn dc hade
(head) NV 20 boss, and den you kin void
he saplin' and go 10 cote slick as goose
grease "Thank you-thank you kind
ly, uncle, | should never have thought of
that in the woald. You are man Of SUI
perior mind. There's half 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 Conted-
crate General Geoage Z. Pickett, of Get.
tysburg fame. Colonel Pickett was man
Of wealth, lived we'll, and was not content
unless everything about his household
bore the marks of good living. His hor-
ses were his pride, and were conspicuous
everywhere for their splendid appear
ance, being as sleek, fat and high
spirited as abundant food and excellent
grooming could make them. Judge Mar
shalls horses on the other hand, were no.
toriously lean and unkempt. Everybody
but the Judge had long remarked this. AT
last it was brought to his notice, with the
suggestion that his carriage driver neg.
lccted 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
delay:
"Dick, what is the reason Colonel Pick
etts horses are in such splendid condition
while mine are almost skeletons? am
afraid you neglect them, don't half curry
them, aad don I half feed them"
Dick, not expecting the attack, was fail
ly posed. lie hemmed and hawed u while
I'LL he could gather his negro wits about
him. and then he said
"Aars John, look at you--is you fat 2,
"No," said the judge, decidedly not.
"Well, look at ole Miss (Nirs. MarShall),
is she fat?" "No." d" Den, look at me, is
fat "No." "Den, look at 20 horses,
is dey fat2' "No." "Now den, you jes
look at Kunnle Pickett. He fat, his car
ridge driver fat, his horses fat, his dogs
fatal fat. De troof is, Mars John, fat
run in de Pickett family, and it don't run
in our'n. OATS ALL
"well," said the Judge, after little re-
Fiction, '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.