Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-11-23
mn together in their white-vfrr,d r,nr.

waiting for the door Of the court to DO
opened. At prerept 1t was guarded by six
OF eight attendants, who, with the help of
a wooden barrier, attempted TO keep the
sugging multitude at bay-while these be.
hind cried, Forward" and those in front
cried. Back
"How on earth are we going TO get
through" asked Augusta, and at that
moment Mr.. John Short caught hold OF an
attendant who was struggling about in
the skirts of the crowd like fly in o cup
OF tea. and asked him the same question,
explaining that their presence was ueces-
sary to the show.
I'm bothered il ] know, sir; you can't
come this way. suppose / must let you
through by the underground passage from
the other court. Why" he went on, as he
led the way TO the Admiralty Court, hang
me-, If don't believe that we shah all be
crushed TO death by them there barristers.
II you'd take a regiment Of cavalry 70
keep them back. And they are q 'ungry
lot, they are, and they amt no work to do,
and that's why they comes kicking and
tearing and worriting just TO see a bit OF
painting on a young lady's shoulders"
BY this time they had passed through
the Admiralty Court, which was not sit
ting, and been conducted down q sort OF
well that terminated in the space occupied
by the Judges clerks and other officers OF
the court. In another minute they found
themselves emerging in a similar space in
the other court.
Before taking the seat that was pointed
out TO her and the other witnesses in the
well Of the q Immediately below th2se
! ~~-~~sss~f so< yuccue CCruSrf, HugusuH
glanced round. The body of the court
was as yet quite empty, for the seething
mob outside had not yet burst in, though
their repeated shouts Of "Open the doorl"
could be plainly heard. But the jury-box
was full, not with q jury, for the case was
to be tried before the Court Itself, but OF
various distinguished individuals, includ-
ing several ladies, who had obtained or
ders. The little gallery above was also
crowded with smart-iooking people. AS
for the seats devoted to counsel In tho
cause, they were crammcd to OVERLOOKING
with the representatives of the various de-
f~eudants-so craGlmed, indeed, that the
wretched James Short, sole counsel for
the plaintiff. ha / 10 establish himself and
his papers In the centre of the third bench
sometimes used by solicitors.
Heavens" said Eustace to Augusta,
counting the heads; there are twenty
three counsel against Us. What viii that
unfortunate James do against so many?"
Il don't know. I'm sure" said Augusta,
with a sigh. ut doesn't seem quite fair.
does it1 But then, you see, there was no
money"
Just then John Short came up. He had
been to speak TO his brother. Augusta be-
ing a novelist, and therefore a professional
student of human physiogneTBy, was en-
gagged in studying the legal types before
her, which she found resolved them
selves into two classes-the sharp. keen
faced class and the solid, heayy-jawed
class.
who on earth are they ALP" she asked.
"Oh,' he said, that's the Attorney-Gen-
eral. He appears with Fiddlestick, @ c..
Pearl, and Bean for the defendant Addi-
son. Next TO him is the Sohoitor-General.
who, with playford, Q. c., Middiestone,
Blowhard, and Ross. is for the other de-
PENDANT, Roscoe, Next 10 him is Turphy.
Q. c., with the spectacles on; he is sup
posed TO have q great effect on a jury. /
don't know the name OF his junior, but he
looks as though he were going @ cat eas.
T6kg fian Sehfnd & Stickon; be rs Tor one
Of the legatees also. I suppose that he
finds probate and divorce an interesting
subject, because he is always writing
books about them. Next TO him Is Howles,
wa0, nay brother says, is the best comic
actor in the court. The snort gentlemen
IL the middle IS Telly: he reports for the
Times. You see, as this is an important
case, he has got somebody to help him
to take it-that long man with n big wig.
He, by the way, writes novels like You do,
only not half such good ores. The next-"
but at this moment Mr.. John Short was
interrupted by the approach OF q rather
good-looking man who wore m eyeglass
continually fxed on his right eye. he was
Mr.. News of the great firm News and News,
who were conducting the case on behalf
OF the defendants.
"Mr. Short, j believer" said Mr.. News,
contemplating his opponents youthful
form with pity, not uImixed with COM
passion.
Yes
"Um, Mr.. Short. I have been consulting
with my clients and-um, the Attorney
aud Solicitor-General and Mr.. Fddlestick,
aud we are quite willing to admit that
there are circumstances Of doubt in this
ease which would justify US in making an
offer of settlement"
Before I can enter into that, MIR.
News" said John, with great dignity, Il
must request the presence OF my counsel"
con. certainly" said Mr.. News, and No
cordingiy James was summoned from his
elevated perch, where he was once more
going through his notes and the heads or
his opening speech, although he already
knew his brief-whioh, to do IL 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 SoIicftor-General
Look here, short. /" said the 1rst Of these
great men, addressing James rs though
he had known him intimately for years.,
though. as a matter Of fact, he had only
aat moment a~seertained his name from
Mr.. Fiddlestick. who was himself obliged
to refer to Bean before he could be sure
Of it-'.iook here, Short; don't you think
that we can settle this businessf You've
GOT q strongish case: but there are some
ngly things against you, rs no doubt you
know"
II don't quite admit that" said James.
"Of course-of eeurse." said Mr.. Attor-