Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-01-03

good-Iooh1ng man who wore an eyeglaSS
continually fixed on mis- right eye. He was
Mr.. News of the great firm News and News,
who were conducting the case on behalf
of the defendants.
''Alr. Short, believes" said Mr.. News,
contemplating his opponents youthful
form with pity, not unmixed with COM
passion.
Yes
''UEn, Mr.. Short, have been consulting
with my clients and-um, the Attorney
and Solicitor General and Mr.. FiddIestick.
and we are quite willing to admit that
here are circumstances of doubt in this
Ease which would justify US in making an
offer of settlement"
Before l can enter into that, Mr..
News" said John, with great dignity, Il
must request the presence Of my counsel y
"Oh, certainly" said Mr.. News, and &C
cordingly James was summoned EOm his
elevated perch, where he was once more
going through his notes and the heads OF
his opening speech, although he already
knew his brief-which, to do it justice,
had been prepared with extraordinary
care and observation-disclosures by heart,
and next moment, for the first time in his
life, found himself in consultation with an
Attorney and Solicitor-GeneraL
look here, Short" said the first of these
:~-not NAV odd"assins. lanes as though
he had known him intimately for years,
though, as a matter of fact, he had only
that moment ascertained his name from
Mr. Fiddlestick, who was himself obliged
to refer TO Bean before he could be sure
Of it-'look here, Short; don't you think
hot wa
got a strongish case: but there are some
ugly things against you, as no doubt you
know"
Il don't quite admit that" said James.
''Of course-of course" said Mr.. Attor-
ney; ''but still, in my Judgment, if you
will not be offended at my expressing it,
you are not quite on firm ground. Sup
posing, for instance, your young lady is
not allowed to give evidence
Il think" said stout gentleman be-
hind, who wore upon his countenance the
very sweetest and most infantile smile,
that Eustace had ever seen. breaking in
rather hastily, as though he was afraid
that his learned leader was showing too
much of his hand, II think that the case
is one that, looked at from either point of
view, will bear settlement better than
a man of peace" and again he smiled most
seductively at James.
"What are your terms?" asked James.
The eminent counsel on the front bench
turned round and stuck their wigs togeth-
er like lot of white-headed crows over a
bone, and the slightly less eminent but
still highly distinguished Juniors on the
second bench craned forward to listen.
''They are going to settle it," Eustace
heard the barrister who was reporting for
the Times say to his long assistant.
''They always do settle every case of
public interest" grunted the long man in
answer; 1--WE sha'n't see Miss Smithers'
shoulders now. Well, shall get an in
PRODUCTION to her, and ask her to show
them to me. I take a great interest in tat
tooing."
Meanwhile, Fiddlestick, @. c., had been
writing something on a strip of paper and
handed to his leader, the Attorney-Gener-
al, (whO, Mr.. James Short saw with re-
spectfUl admiration, had 500 guineas
marked upon his brief.) He nodded care
lessly, and passed it On to his junior, who
gave it in turn to the SoicitOr-G General
and Playford Q. G. When it had gone
the rounds, Mr.. News took it and showed
it to his two privileged clients, Messrs.
Addison and Roscoe. Addison was
choleric-looking, fat-faced man Roscoe
was sallow, and had thin, straggly, black
beard. When they looked at it, Addison
groaned fiercely as a wounded bull and
Roscoe sighed, and that sigh and groan
told Augusta-who, womanlike had all
her wits about her, and was watching
every act Of the drama-mnre than it was
meant to do. 1t told her that these gem
tlemen were doing something that they
did not like, and doing it because they
evidently believed that they had no other
course open to them. Then Mr.. News
gave the paper to Mr.. John Short, who
glanced at it and handed it on to his BROTH
Ell, and Eustace read it over his shoulder
1t was very short, and ran thus: Terms
offered: Half the property, and defendants
pay all costs"
''Well, Short said Eustace, "what do
You say?-shau we take it?;
James removed his wig and thoughtful
ly rubbed his bald head. lit is a very diff
ficult position to be put in, he said. ''Of
course, million is a large sum of money;
but there are two at stake. My own view
is that we had better fight the case out;
though, of course, this is a certainty, and
the result of the case is not"
Il am inclined to SETTLE" said Eustace;
mot because of the case, for [ believe in
it, but because of Augusta-ot Miss Smith
ers; you see she will have to show that tat
tooing again, and that sort of thing is very
unpleasant for lady"
''Oh, as to that" said James, lofti1y, cat
present she must remember that she is not
a lady, but legal document However,
~-l-
Nov, Augusta, what shall we do?" said
Eustace, when he had explained the offer
you see, if we take the offer, you will be
spared a very disagreeable time. You
must make up your mind quick, for the
Judge will be here in minute"
ooh, never mind me-" said Augusta,
quickly; Il am used to disagreeableS. No,
1 shall fight. tell you they are afraid of
you | can see it in the face of that horrid
Mr.. Addison. Just now he positively
glared at me and ground his teeth, and he
would not do that if he thought that he
was going to win. No, dear; I shall fight
it out now"
Every well" said Eustace, and he took
pencil and wrote q Declined with thanks
at the foot of the offer.
Just at that moment there came dull
roar from the passage beyond. The doors
of the court were being opened Another
second and in rushed and struggled a
hideous sea of barristers. Heavens, how
they fought and kicked! A maddened
herd of buffaloes could not have behaved
more desperately. On rushed the white
wave of wigs, bearing the strong men who
held the door before them like wreckage
on breaker. On they came, and in forty
seconds the court was crowded to its ut
nnr,n cit nd Eli thn.a hum