The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-02-14
THREE 70 A COLUMN.
Everyday Tales Of the
Town TerseIy Told.
CHARLIE CHICKERING'S EXCUSE.
Attending Church-How a Meciiani-
cal Genius Obtained Employment
. Scenes In Court Rooms.

There is something besides law and evil
dence and wrangling OF attorneys and
bitter mothers tears shed for wayward
child TO be seen i'm the court
rooms this winter. There is
tier OF back chairs In each room
that is monopolized almost continuously
by class of people who year ago
would have shrunk aghast from
the thought of becoming court
room loafers. They do not haunt these
furtive back seats because the atmos-
phere Of law is pleasant. Some OF
them have an unpleasant recollec-
tion Of certain violated statutes.
But there il warmth in the
court room and the air is cold
and relentless outside. No wonder they
seek the halls OF justice for they afford
them from four to six hours warmth day.
II may seem strange that the court Off
cials allow habitual customers to occupy
the seats, but there is much OF
humanity among these men who spend
most OF their lives serving writs. One
deputy sheriff told me that the same man
had occupied q particular back seat in one
OF the court rooms for nearly three
months. He comes as regularly as the sun.
lie has no clothing to spare and often
looks as IL food were rarity to
him. He has learned to watch
the deputy sheriffs as cat does a mouse
and when he steals silently to his inevi-
table back seat there IN sudden turning
OF official backs that he may be allowed to
effect his entrance unobserved.
Another man whose tattered raiment
discourses all too eloquently OF hitherto
unknown hardships, has become so fire.
quent an attendent upon the courts
that he has acquired fair
smattering OF law, and expects to take
bar examination as. soon "a he can get
money enough together to purchase pre-
sentable suit OF clothes.
= There is another aspect of the hard
times that is viewed with great satisfac-
tion by the court. The law requires
juror to serve one week. He may serve
four. Ordinarily there is no disposition
to serve longer than is absolutely re-
quired, but the hardships of this winter
have painted the Ioys OF the court room
in glowing colors and most
jurymen willingly agree to serve four
weeks. Such eagerness to serve on jury
has never before been manifested, and the
Court and officers are delighted.
A "Reminiscences Of Charlie Chickering.
City Solicitor Francis Colwell is good
story teller and in illustrating the back
wardness In giving to churches on the
part OF men, and the tendency to go to
sleep when they did go TO church,
he told the following anecdote
about that splendid fellow and inordinate
wit, the late "Charlie'' Chickering OF
Pawtucket.
Mr.. Chickering's pastor called on him
With view to persuading him into
attending divine service in the
church where Mr.. Chickering paid rent
for pew which his family usually occu-
pied without enjoying his company. Mr..
Chickering put forth various excuses and
finally declared with regretful echo in
his voice:
"The fact is, parson, when go to church
/ invariably fall asleep"
To which the minister responded with
reassuring smile;
"Oh, don't let that worry you, Mr..
Chickering. am not sensitive"
"But that aint the worst OF it," PER-
sisted Charlie.
Glow so?" said the minister.
"Well, you see" said Charlie, ''when
go to sleep I'm likely to snore and wake
everybody else up"