Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-10-05

him, and Il sort Of audible smile seemed to
run round the court. The thing not un-
naturally struck the professional mind as
ludicrous and without precedent
And who appears for the defcndant?'
'T understand, my lord said the
learned attorney general, that all my
learned fricads on these two benches APP
pear together with myself, for one or
other of the defendants, or are watching
the case in the interest of kGatees.'
Here Il decided litter interrupted him.
81 may add that the interests involved
in this case are very largo indeed which
nectcd in one way or other with the de
Tense
"Quitc so, Mr. Attorney said the
Judge; but, really, the forces seem lit
tic out Of proportion. OF course the mat
ter is not one in which the court can in
terfcrc."
If your lordship will allow me" said
James, the only reason that the plaintiff
is SO poorly represented is that the funds
TO brief other counsel were, understand,
not forthcoming. | am, however, well
vcrscd in the case, and, with your lord
ships permission, will DO my best with
it."
Very well, Mr.. Short, " said the learned
judge, looking at him almost with pity
state your case
james, in the midst of a silence that
could he felt, unfoldcd his pleaCsngs, and,
as he did so for the first time, a Siclicning
sense of nervousness took hold OF him
and made him trcmble, and, of "A sudden,
his mind became dark. Most Of us have
undergone this sensation at one time or
another, with less cause than hao
4
poor James. There he was, put up al
most for the first time in his life, to con
duct, single handed, most important
case, upon which, it was scarcely too much
to say, the interest of the entire country
was concentrated. Nor was tins all. Up
posed t. him were about twenty counsel
all OF them men Of experience, and nclud-
ing in their ranks some Of the most famous
leaders i'll England; and, what was more
the court was denscly crowded with scores
of men of his own profession, every one
Of whom was, he felt, regarding linn with
curiosity not unmiXcd with pity. Then,
there was the tremendous responsibility
which literally seemed to crush him,
though he lad never quite realized it be
fore.
May it please your lordship," he be-
gan; and then, as have said, his mind
| became u CHASTITY blank, III which dim and
formless ideas fitted vaguely to and fro.
There was Il pausc--a painful pause.
Read yourplcadings aloud. whispered
a barrister who was sitting next him. and
realized his plight.
This was IN idea. One can read plead
! ings when one cannot collect ones ideas
to speak. 1t is not usual to do so. The
counsel i'll cause states the substance OF
the pleadings, leaving the court TO refer
to them if he thinks necessary. But still
there was nothing absolutely wrong about
it; so he snatched at the papers and
promptly began:
81. Tho plaintiff is the sole and univer
sal lcG2tce under the true last will OF
Jonathan Meeson, deceased, late Of Pom
padour Hall, in the county of Warwick
who died on the 23d of December, 1850
the said will being undated, but duly cX
ecuted on, or subsequent TO, the 22d day
of December, 1850.
Here the learned judge lifted his eye
browS in remonstrancc, and cleared hi'
throat preparatory 10 interfering; but ap
parently thought better OF 1t, for he tool
up Il blue pencil and made note OF tA'
date OF the Will,
H. wont on James. ON the us
day q. May. ] ~, bHte OF an alleged
Will .Ir - altman Mccson wa.
F'H' -. lie = nGan1s, the said VI!
btGrlnl &c i.' 10Th day OF November
1850. plaintiff claims:
l. Itgt ne court shall reTokc probate
OF the said alleged Will OF the said Jpndiha,
Meeson, bearing date the 10th day o
November, lo>0, granted TO the defend
ants ON the list day OF May, lSN6,
''2, grant of letters OF administrator
to the plaintiff with the will executed OF
or subsequent to the 22d day Of Decem
Der, 1850, annexed. (Signed)
- MEs SHORT,
May it please your lordship' Jane
began again feeling dlmly that he hae
read enough pleadingS, the defendant
have filed an answer pleading that TN
will of he 22d of December was not dull,
executed in accordance with the statute
and that the tcStator dld not know ant
approve its contents, and an amended an
swer pleading that the said alleged Will
if executed, was obtained by the undu
/ influence Of Augusta SmlthcrS and once
more his nervousness overcame him, an'
he pulled up with jerk,
Then came another pause even NOR
dreadful than the first
The Judge took another note, A. SloWl'