Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-08-22

sassin himself. Day after day passed
away without any solution of the mys-
terry; when cne evening, as the SER
wants of the family were conversing
around the fire on so miraculous an es-
cape, little urchin, not ten years old,
was heard TO wonder how such en Gim
was missed, that universal suspicion
was Immediately excited. He was al
ternately logged and coaxed into con-
fession, which disclosed as much pre-
cocIous and malignant premeditation as
perhaps ever marked the annals of ia-
venile deprayity. This little miscreanl
had received box on the ear from Mr..
CaFran for some alleged misconduct a
few days before; the MooFss blow ID
not slnk into mind more furious foI
revenge, or more predisposed by nature
for sach deadly Impressions. He was
in the bedroom by mere chance when
Mr.. CurFan entered; he Immediately hid
himself In the curtains till he observed
him too busy with his portmanteau for
observation: then he leveled at him the
old bIunderbuss, which lay charged in
the corner, the stiffness of whose trig-
ger, too strong for his infant fingers,
alone prevented the aim which he con-
fessed he had taken, and which had so
nearly terminated the occupations oi
the cobbler. The door was ajar, and,
mid the smoke and terror, he easily
slipped out without discovery. / had
the story verbatim from Mr.. Curran' 5
lips, whose impressions on the subject
il was no wonder that forty years had
not oblIterated.
At cross-examination, the most diff
cult, and by far the most hazardous part
OF barrister's profession, Curran was
quite inimitable. There was no plan
which he did not detect, no web which
he did not dIsentagle: and the unfortu-
nate wretch who commenced with all
the confidence of preconcerted perjury,
never failed TO retreat before him in all
the confusion of exposure. Indeed, il
was almost impossible for the guilty to
offer a successful resistance. He ar
gued, he caioled, he ridIculed, he MIN
licked, he played of the various artillery
Of his talent upon the witness; he would
affect earnestness upon tritics. and lev
Ity upon subjects Of the most serious
import, until at length he succeeded in
creating security that was fatal, or a
salIenness that produced all the conse-
quences of prevarication. No matter
how unfair the topic, he never failed TO
avail himself il; acting upon the prln-
ciple that, in law as well as in war, ev-
cry stratagem was admissible. IL he
was hard pressed, there was no pecu-
liarity OF person, no singularity ofname,
no eccentricity of profession at which
he would not grasp, trying TO confound
the self-possession of the witness by
the, no matter how excited, ridicule oi
the audience. To witness of the name
of Haypenny he once began "Half-
penny, see you're rap, and for that
reason you shall be nailed to the couu-
ter" "Halfpenny Is sterling" ex-
claimed the opposite counsel. "No,
no." said he, "he's exactly like his own
conscience-only copper mashed" This
phrase alluded to an expression previ-
ously used on the trial.
To Lundy Fo0fe, the celebrated To-
bacconist, once hesitating on the table :
"Lundy, Lundy-thats poser--G der
IL of pinch" This gentleman ap-
piled to Curran for a motto when he
first established his carriage. "Giye
ne one, my dear Curran," said he, "of
a serious cast, because / am afraid the
people will laugh at tobacconist set
ting up a carriage, and, for the scholar
ships sake, let it be in Latin" "I have
Just hit on it," said Curran; "it is only
two words, and it will at once explain
Your profession, your elevation, and
your contempt for their ridicule, and it
has the advantage OF being in two lam
guages, Latin or English, ust as the
reader chooses. Put up 'Quid rides
upon your carriage"
Inquiring his masters age from a
horse-iockey's servant, he found it al
most impossible to extract an answer.
''Come, come, my friend, has he not
lost his teeth ?" "Do you think" re-
torted the fellow, ''thst | know his age,
as he does his horses, by the mark Of
mouth? 2" The laugh was agains. Cur
ran, but he instantly recovered: "You
were very right not to try, friend, for
you know your master great bife.'
Having one day a violent argument
with = country schoolmaster on some
classical subject, the pedagogue, who
had the worst OF it, said, IN towering
passion, that be would lose no more
tune, and must 60 back to bis scholars.
"Do, my dear DOCTOR" said Curran,
"but don't indOrse my sins upon their
backs"
Cnrran was told that very stingy
and slovcnly barrister had started for
the Continent with shirt and a guinea:
"He'll not change either till he comes
back" said he.
II was well known that Curran en-
tertained a dislike and contempt for
Downes. "Bushe," said he, ''came up
10 me one day with very knowing look
and said, DO you know, Curran, have
Just left the pleasantest fellow ever
met ?" Indeed! who is he's The
chief justice was The answer. My re-
ply was compendious and witty. l
looked into his eye, and said sku~." II
required all his oil to keep his counte-
nance smooth"
A~Terv stupid foreman once asked a
Judge how they were 10 ignore bill.
why, SIR" said Curran, "when YOU
mean TO find true one, Just write Ig-
norGnHs for self and fellows on the back
Of it."