The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-04-15

do in looking out for what You yourself
say. Proceed, then; how do you know
that you were born on that day?''
''Why, of course | was. Don't YOU
suppose linow?"
after the facts. Do.you know, of your
own personal knowledge, that you
were born on May 20, lS6e?'
Certainly. Why my father and
MOTHER
81 have nothing to do with the birth
of your father and mother" howlctl.
did YOU make Il note of the datc?"
"No, of course not How"
do you mean to tell this court that
you were present on an occasion of so
much Importance to yourself one
which might affect your whole future
life-and made no note of the date?"
Whoever heard of anything 30 per-
fectly absurd? How in the world
II am not here, madam, to answer
your questions" l Numbered. "You
have sworn that of Your own personal
knowledge you know that you were
born on May 90, 1SGs. Now are YOU
as sure of that as of the other facts to
which YOU have testiicd?"
Well I should hope SOL
"Then everything that you have told
the jury has been Il matter of hcarsay?'
'Of course not. Don't you suppose
1 saw"
''Can You swear that You saw the
date May 30, 1865, on any newspaper,
you were born?'
"Thcn YOU have nothing better than
somebody's word for the fact that that
was the actual day?'
'Of course not"
Then l shouted in n six-linc plea
Italic voice, waving my finger like tho
sail of windmill, chow dare You swear
that you knew it of your own knowl-
cdgc?"
'IIowdy. if YOU ask me another ques-
ton about that, I'll throw something at
You. l think you're real mean"
"Ncvcr mind, madam" said I. "at
least you claim to know that jeremiah
Rugglcs erected that beautiful struc-
ture adjoining your premises in the
spring of lS01?''
"Of course he did,
But your husband has just testified
that it was in the spring of 1890"
Good gracious! was it, IIowdy? Oh,
dear me. Didn't | say 1890? I'm sure
that 1 did. OF course l did-in the
spring of 1907
But you said in your previous exam
ination that it was the spring of 1901. :"
said this in tone of gloating tri-
umph as if l had made Maudc contra
diet harGnlf nd LAT
to let her hear the last of it. I knew
she couldn't stand that.
81 don't care a bit, she cried. 'You'rc
perfectly unbcarablc. prefer Mr.
Rugglcs and hope he'll win. l don't
want to go to Europe. I don't want any
s-boo-o-o-o.'
My experiment had filed me with
even darker distrust OF Maude as wit
ness. On the day OF the trial I shook in
my shoes.
The result showed how foolish il is to
prepare for destiny, when her resources
arc so various and her disposition so un-
pleasant. Rugglcs' lawyer was the
only really polite man whom I ever saw
within Il cables length Of court of
law. But Maudc. after her encounter
with me. had fed herself on raw meat
She went to court with assault in one
hand and battery in the other. She was
simply spelling for fight. And when
the modest and apologize counsel for
Mr.. Rugglcs arose to ask her few
questions, she bullied and browbcat
him in a manner which drew tears from
the judge on the bench, and so worked
upon the sympathizing jurors that they
leaving their seats.
1--WE foind," said Foreman Judson
McSwcency, "that tn difindant is not
guilty, but we ricommind Mister Field
in to tn mercy av tn coort."
And he glanced mcaningly at Maude.
HOWARD FIELDING.
Great Thinkers.
Hc=Grcat thinkers are seldom great