Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-04-10
HOW THE LESSON WAS LEARNED.


kiss the book, said the high bailiff
And kissed it; and there was, sworn
and standing perched up in the box
there, like an image, for every one to
look at; and, as matter of course, every
one looked at me till I felt very uncom-
Portable, and damp about the forehead
and inside the hands. Not as I'd got
anything to mind, as I told myself
twenty times over; was called up there
as a witness, and all had to do was to
tell the truth and mind nobody.
Well, was for the defendant, and I
said what 1 knew; and it was simple
enough, proving that the plaintiff
of those sharp, pushing tallymen-had
regularly forced lot of things on
my mates wife, and then kept her in
constant dread, till, in regular fit of
despair, she did what she ought to have
done first, and what I wanted her to do
told her husband. You see, knew
about it, for she made friend of my
wife from living next door, and was in
such trouble at last-being rather aweak
woman-that she used to come and bor-
row few shillings, and as Betsy and
eonly keep one purse between us, why,
l knew all about it; and now that Mr.
Alexander MacTammy had put my mate
in the county court for some money he
wouldn't pay, saying his wife had been
swindled, and offering the things back
Showing dress pieces, think they were),
I was up for witness, and told all I
knew.
There was bit of murmur of applause
in the court after I'd my bit of say; and
the old Judge there, in his parsons
gown and powdered wig, had got down
in his notes first one thing and then an
other, and one person had said, "Hear,
hear" and another had tapped with an
umbrella, and altogether I felt very well
contented and satisfied that I'd done
Tom Ellis as good turn-thinking, too,
as giving evidence wasn't half so bad at
thought.
"That will do, my man," said the
Judge; and the lawyer who was on Tom
Ellis side nodded pleasantly to me to
get down; and I was just taking out my
big bit of blue cotton for good wipe,
when up jumps the lawyer for the other
side-a sort of second-class barrister he
was, in rusty, ragged gown, and he'd
got on wig that looked as if it hadn't
been brushed and powdered lately,
while the two tails hung down sideways
till he fdgeted it about, when they stuck
out fierce behind, as if made for handles
to turn his head round by.
"Stop just a minute, my friend" he
said, with regular twang. "Just one
or two questions;" and as he spoke he
got hold of all his gown, and twisted it
into what we boys used to call a "cow-
tail, y and held it under his arm. And
then if he didn't badger and bother me
about, turning all I'd said this way and
that way, and making it seem as [ was
one of the most audacious liars that ever
lived on the face of this world He
seemed to be trying to prove that I was
the mortal enemy of Mr.. Alexander Mac
Tammy, and had been studying from
childhood the art of lying, so that I
might ruin him in LIS trade.
[ was hot about ten minutes before.
but nothing to what I was now. I
never felt SO ashamed of myself in my
life; but Isays to myself:
"Youre a pretty sort of villain,
Isaac Jenkins, and the sooner you're out
of this court, and have hidden that dia-
bolical countenance of yours, the
better"
I'd no idea wha bad character was
before, and felt that Mr.. Lawyer must
be right, for when [ turned round to the
Judge, just as much as to say: "Ain't
this bit too hot, sir?" he frowned al
me, and told me to look on the counsel
Yes; look at me, me friend, sale
the lawyer, "and just repeat that bit Of
evidence. You said that the plaintiff
was perfect nuisance to the district"
"No, I didn't" I says, getting pep
perry, for [ was so baited and up in {
corner that l hardly knew what to do.
Then what did you say2" says the
counsel.
"Why, not that, says
"Now, my good man., he says, "don'
quibble. What did you come here for7'
"To be insulted, seemingly" I says
quite fierce.
Hear, hear" says some one in The
body of the court and then there was {
lot of hushing" and cries of order,
when my gentleman says to me again;
You're very sharp, my friend; any
one would think you were one tht
Sheffield grinders. You don't belong tx
the trades union, do you9 I hope yol
never place powder in peoples troughs.
Here there was regular laugh in th'
court; and of course I was more anC
more uncomfortable, till after littl
more batting the counsel says:
"Pve with few stupid witnesse
my time, but really the ignorant blunt