Milford chronicle., 1885-01-16
A JURYMAN'S OATH.
BY GEO. MANv1IIE FEM.

I was on the jury, and don't mind
telling you-iust in confidence, you
RnCEz-that I was thoroughly sick of it.
It was very vaatteelg{inGG>to be called q
good man and true, and to be addressed
by man in a wig, and sworn, and to
have to sit in box with eleven more
good men and true, thinking that you
were part of an old English institution,
dating back hundreds of years, for the
protection of the humble against the
wealthy, and to insure for every man a
righteous trial, and safety against the
oppression of those high in power.
Oh, 1 can assure you that I, James
Smith, of Clerkenwell, appreciated being
summoned on the jury for some things,
if 1 did not for others.
''It seems a great shame, James, said
my wife, after the man had left the
paper, "that you should be forced to go
away from your work to sit on jury,
and without any pay"
"Well-er-yes," said, speaking
rather Importantly, with my hands i'll
my pockets, as / stood swaying myself
to and fro before the fire, toe and heel,
like a vestryman or a member of Board
of Guardians. "Well-er-yes, my dear;
but then, you see, trial by jury is the
palladium of British liberty"
''The what p she said.
''The palladium. But for the trial by
jury, wherein twelve good men and true
sit in Judgment upon a criminal or a de-
fendant-"
''Now, for goodness gracious sake,
James. don't YOU 90 having ANYTHING
to do with it. "
"Woman," I said, 81 must; and, as I
was observing when you SO rudely inter-
rupted me-"
''Rudely interrupted, indeed /" she
cried. "Wel, it's n strange thing il a
woman can't interrupt her own hus-
band"
"But she can," I said, plaintively.
''and she always does. But, as was
observing, but for the trial by Jury, men
with ample means would be able to OPP
press their poorer fellow-creatures
Humble John Styles would be sent to
languish in prison on the judgment Of
corrupt Judge, who fought for his class,
or whose venality had been secured by
a heavy bribe from my lord the Baron
Fitzurse. You are following me, are you
not ?"
"Following you? Bless me, man,
no I" she cried, 'I don't know what
you are gobbling about ALI know is,
that it seems a strange thing that you
should be forced to go away from your
business to sit boxed up in a jury box "
"And perhaps to be locked up for
hours" I said, loosely.
"What, in the box, James ?" cried my
wife. "Bless us and save us, my dear,
don't say they DO that.
sThey lock juries up somewhere, L
replied; "and without food, too, if they
do not give in their verdict"
"Think of that, now," said my wife.
''Well, 1 have heard of such things, !
remember now; but hope it won't come
TO that. OF course, you will give IN a
verdict. so as not to be locked up.
81 shall do my duty as a good man
and true" 1 said, Importantly.
''I do wish you wouldn't keep calling
yourself good man and true, said my
wife, pettishly. sit sounds 80 silly. But,
look here, James, we haven't been mar
ried twenty years for nothing.
1--WE have not, my dear" I said,
sadly. "You have cost me deal of
money"
"Stuff What I meant was that I've
not been married to you for twenty years
without knowing you by heart.
"Ah, that's what you always say, l
replied.
"Yes, sir; and it's quite true, and so I
warn you. Now, don't you go condemn
ing any poor creature to be hanged, be-
cause if you do, you'll never forgive
yourself"
"Don't talk nonsense, woman. 1t is
the judge who sentences people to be
hanged"
"Then what's the good of the jury ?"
''Why, that's what I have being tell
ing you, woman. The jury is the pal
ladium Of British liberty.
"Oh, is it? Well, then, don't you
condemn any poor creature to be hanged,
because if you do you'll never forget it,
and l shall be having yOu getting night
mares, and jumping mp in bed shouting.
as you did after you poisoned the
Thompsons' cat.
"My good woman" I said, 'I ex-
pressly forbade you to speak about that.
II thompson tnOugnt tndt | had Killed
that thieving Tom of his, 7 should never
hear the last of it. And. beside, you do
not know that killed the yowling night
brute"
"Oh, don't I ?" she said, nodding her
head. ''Well, at all events, saw You
cut open that red herring, and put the
white powder inside"
"Hush I" cried: ''and look here.
I'm not going to common trial for
murder. F"
"Oh, come, I'm glad Of that.
'I'm going to trial at the Palace of
Justice"
"What, not to police court p
s'Police fiddlesticks !" I cried. ''I tell
You I'm going to a trial at the Palace Of
Justice, before one of the Judges. It's
a case of libel.
ssWhat, one man writing about an
other. and saying he's terrible black
guard, and ought to be kick ed out of
society" ?"
''Exactly, my dear. " I replied; and in