, 1879-07-13

impression after the intense ahsurdty Of the In
terrupdon.
Before the organization OF Colorado as Ter
| ritory the Inhabitants reioiced in the .'Proyis-
! ional Government Courts" cue of whose
| Judges was man OF ioVia! turn, good law
yer, and VINO never lost his head nor courteous
| bearing even when somewhat fuddled. 4
| cause before him had proceeded until plaintiff
had rested his case, when the defendant was
| offered BY bis counsel as witness. It was
| objected that, being a party. the defendant
| was incompetent as witness. The point was
| argued; but the Court held that, under the law
| Of the "Peopie's Government" either party to
a suit might be competent as witness, and
| raised his hand to administer the oath. The
| witness raised his haud also, but allowed it to
] fall befor his Honor had half concluded. There
| upon the plaintiffs counsel, disgusted ut what
| he conceived to be an erroneous ruling againsr
| him, exclaimed: 81 think the witness did not
understand what your Honor said; he is very
hard Ut hearing: in fact, he IS entirely deaf in
one ear" The Judge looked no at the attor-
| ney with an expression Of humor that his mel
tow condition seemed to augment, and said:
deaf In one ear! Well, that's (hic) all right; :;
didn't {hic) swear him on his void ear lroire direl
fou may proceed with the examination"
Wnl Carleton has contributed to an agrtcult-
ural journal out West jolly little poem re-
| counting his experience with '' 'ightntng-rod
| dispenser" who dropped down on him one day
| mirn,
With hands rs white as lilies, and face uncommon
| clean.
! OF course, when he set his "rto-saw tonruo
| a-buxzin'," his listener was gone; he agreed
with everything said to him, and had no
"views upon any subject whatever that were
| cdyersc:
1touched him on religion. and the hopes my heart
&c said he'd had experiences quite similar OF hla
| own.
told him of the douotin's that made DARK N,
He had laia awake till morning with that same old
breed Of fears.
told hin, Of the rough path hoped to Heaven
togo;
He was on that very ladder, only just rounn be-
low.
liz had seen the sel-same pcters, though not qu,te
20 clear ana plain.
Our politics was different and ut first he CALLED and
But ars'e4 him so able, he was very soon con-
yinced.
And twas getting toward the middle Of a hungry
There was dinner on the table, and aaked him
would he stay-
And he s2t down among us. everlasting trim and
neHf.
And asked short crisp blessing, almost good
enough to eat;
Eternal Friend.
And gave the Lord Almighty good drst-c1aas rec
Omuend;
And for an hour We listened to the susar-coated
Talking like blessed angel eating like q blasted
tramp
Ny wife she liked the stranger, smiling on him
warm and sweet
1T always natrcrs women when their Euests are on
the eat).
And he hlnted that some ladies' never lose their
early charms,
And kissed the latest baby md received It in bis
arms.
biy sons and daughters liked him, for he had pro-
And ehewed the quld Of fancy, and gave down the
latest news; =
He was spreading desolat.on through a piece OF
When he pauaed and looked upon rs with a tear in
his of eye.
And then went on to tell how his wife and
children had been killed By lightning, since
which time he had wandered aud cared for
naught but to save Hother loved ones whose
lives have ret been spared, and TO cell 10 Vtftu-
GUS people good lightning-rods-at cost"
A contract for rodding the house was signel,
and
That very day with wagons came some men. both
great and small;
They elin,bed upon my buildings just As II they
owned ZEN all;
They hacked lem and they hewed 'em, much
against my loud deairea:
They trimmed 'em up with gewgaws, and they
bound 'ern down with wires;
They trimmed 'cm ana they wired 'em, and they
trimmed and wired 'cu1 still.
And every precious minute Kept a-ru1n1nE up tho
bill
Ny soft-spoke guest a-seeking, did I rave, and
rush, and run:
He WIS supplng with neighbor. just three mile
further on.
''Do you think. ~ fercely shouted, 'sthat wanr
mile Of wire
To sure each separate haycock out O. Heavens con-
sun1in' fire!
Do you think. 70 keep my bnifdin's safe from somo
uncertain harm,
I'm goin' to deed you over all the balance Of my
fa1m:''
He looked up quite astonished, with face devoid
Of guile.
And he pointed to the contract With reassuring
smile:
It was the first OCCASION that he disagreed with
me,
But be held me to that pspcr with drmness sad
to see;
And for that thunder atory. ere tho rsscsl dnalfJ
vent
paid tso hundred dollars. IL paid single cen&