Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1884-09-03
Verdict for Defendant-A New Yer
sion OF AN Old Story.

George said the father, with a
countenance more in sorrow than in
anger. George, someone has cut
down my favorite cherry tree. Do
you know anything about it?'
Young Washington did not quail
before his alher's accusing glance. He
looked him straight in the eye, and M
expression Of honest resolution cleaned
in the clear eyes and frank countenance.
My father he said, will not
deceive you. | DO know something
about it, but that is not the issue at all.
You have, in effect. charged me with
being privy to The destruction of your
favorite tree. Now, the question is,
since you have filed information and
laid this charge against me, what do
know about il ?"
IL know that you have a Ratchet"
replied his father sternly know
what boy with a Ratchet is liable to
do. | know that someone has cut
down my favorite cherry tree"
Stop right there" interrupted the
future father of his country. You
say this Was your tree,"
81 do"
How came it yours ?"
II planted it,"
Now, sir, are you certain 1t was not
on this farm before you came here?'
mo sir, it WAS not"
"Thcn why did you say so"
why did | say wbatr
"Ehat's right; eyade, bubble. crawl
ont of it somehow. All right. Ii you
don't want To answer fair, plain
simple question, you don't have to-"
But didn't say il was on on the
farm when | came here"
"Oh, very well, deny it. Is there
any other retraction you would like to
makey"
Il don't retract anything. merely
declare that | never sad that tree was
Oh the farm when came here"
Oh, we'll, father, don't get excited
and talk loud, lou may go back on
your entire statement if you wish. Per.
haps you will next try to,make us he.
li,ve that this farm wasn't here, either,
when you came"
why, of course it was here. |
don't
Didn't you say moment ago that
it wasn't?"
That was the tree"
"Ah, yes you turn it off on the tree
now. You've been talking about the
tree all this time, then?'
why, certainly have"
Then you just admitted that IL was
here when you came hercs"
No, nay son; that was the farm"
But not half dozen questions ago
you admitted that. You said in these
very words, Why, of course it was
here did you noi?"
i said those words, but was speak.
ing of the farm"
And yet you said but this very mo-
ment that all this time you had Leen
talking about the tree. 1t is useless 10
continue this examination. NY father.
OF all human vices lying is the com.
monesi, and doubt not it is the worst
1t blunts our moral sensibiities; it
! leads us to distort and exaggerate
simple statements of fact; it blurs our
powers of intelligent observation,
until even a man of ordinary scholar
ship and intellectual development is
unable to tell whether he is talking
about farm or II cherry tree. The
complaint is dismissed. ! doubt very
much IL you can even establish the
fact that you ever owned tree. Go
to the nursery, and il you intend
| plant NJ n tree III the place of the one
you imagine you have lost, you had
better take man with you to show
you the ground lest you might plant
the tree in your hat. You may go"
Sadly the old man turned away, but
he told the man who helped him plant
the new tree that if he had q hundred
boys he wouldn't let another one of
them study law, r. j 3urdette.
SEE that Oscar Wilde has got
married y the y0Inu na,, said In his