The Russellville Democrat., 1880-05-27
COURT HUMoR.
A Corset Case in the Grave U. s. Supreme
 sfM 4 &l Court. ##@
Washington Cor. Courier Journal. sb

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 A Corset Case in the Grave U. s. Supreme .fM 4i a5 Court #a
 Washington Cor. Courier Journal. sbtl
 The proceedings in the Supreme Court are occasionally enlivened by cases which border on the ludicrous. In order to fully appreciate the humor of the situa
 ton when corset patent was brought into the court, it win give effect to the story to take review of the judges The long, black silk gowns, which they all wear, give an idea of extra judicial dignity. TLe Chief Justice is not im- posing looking, but he has strong cast of countenance, without gleam of mer- riment. Judge Clifford has rosy. be- nevolent face, and his large white neck cloth sets off the sombreness of his silk gown. Mir. Justice Cliff )rd has the most exalted idea of the court, ranking it next to heaven. He would readily pass for bishop and never tolcrates any. thing bordering on liberty. Judge Swayne is portly, and has an intellectual head and face. Justice Field is grizzly blonde, but endowed with becoming gravity when on the bench. Judge Mil Ter has a large ponderous frame, and is the embodiment of legal lore and the responsibilities of his high office. He has the spared form and refined face of an ascetic; he is a member of the Presbyterian Church, rigid observer of bis religious duties, a strong temperance man, and model husband and father. Judge Bradley is of short stature, schol- arly and very courteous. He looks very wise and very severe while on the bench Judge Hunt, befoi e he was par alyzed and in0apacitated for work, looked too refined, too high-bred and cotirtly for the rigid and exacting duties of the court.r Light behavior. jests or profanity would shock him as they would sensitive woman. Judge liar Ian has boyish, smooth fnce, full of good humor and kindness. He main- tains majestic gravity during an argu- ment. .s
 The corset patent was a delicate sub ject to bring into this august court, but the contending parties had gone to law on the question as to whether "coutil" was cut on the straight or bias, and in regard to the whaleboner castings. One patentee claimed that he had improved upon the original design; that the first patentes's corset placed the whalebene in the casing, and that it had to be fast ened with needle and thread; that his patent had the advantage of san inven- tion which closed up the top and bottom of the opening. The lawyer who was arguing the case brought lot of the cor sets in court and distributed them to each of the Judges that they might ex- anime the invention as he explained it. The novel spectacle was presented of each one of these. gentlemen timidly scrutinizing the mysteries of the bias and straight, and pushing whalebones in and out of the castings. The shrink
 ing modcsty of Judge Strong was evinced by the blush which mantled his cheek. All tried to look knowing and capable of giving an astute opinion; they whispered to one another, of course exchanging only legal knowledge. but the udicrous situation was appreciated by the lawyers and spectators. It was suggested that the judges put the corsets against their persons, and by changing positions would see how much the wearers of cor sets would be benefited by an invention which would so securely fasten the whalebones that they could not be squeezed out by bending the body or even the tight fit of a dress The judges gave murmur of relief when the argu- ment closed and the corsets were re- turned to the patentee. That evening at a reception 1t was observed that spec ial attention was paid by the Judges of the Supreme Court to welf-developed foreign lady, whose decollette dress en- abled them to study the question out side of the court. The opinion afterward delivered was derived from the practical knowledge gained that evening. t A,