The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1894-03-21
HOW THEY KISS THE BOOK.
scenes Enacted Before the Bar of Police
Court Justice.

scenes Enacted Before the Bar OF fohee
Court Justice.
kiss the book"
If the ghosts of these spoken words
could materialize into any tangible
FORM the police courts in town would
be jammed so full that court business
would have to be transacted on the out
side
1t is the inevitable wind-up to the
administering of the oath.
"You solemnly swear" says the
clerk, that m-m-m-m-m struth, whole
truth, s'elp you God. Kiss the book"
and then the witness touches the Bible
with his lips. That is, there is a pre-
tense at osculation by those who have
become familiar with the oath, and it
is only the novices who really do more
than ''go through the motions"
The cover of the sacred volume, from
continuous daily handling, has gener-
ally accumulated a mass of oleaginous
CRIME. The gilded cross, which, when
the book was new, adorned each cover,
has long since been kissed away, and
n othing remains but the dull imprint,
and this is the spot touched by the lips
Of the devout Roman Catholics called
as witnesses.
The Hebrew escapes this enforced
osculation, as do the free-thinkers and
others who affirm, bat the rank and
file fall into line In various ways.
The policemen, detectives and those
who are familiar with court procedure
avoid direct observance of the com
mand. The policeman follows an
established custom of bringing the
book up to the mouth and then inn
printing kiss upon his big thumb,
which is upon the side of the book hid
den from the justice. The policeman
volume against it as he takes an oath.
Others in the blue uniform shove the
edge ct the Bible under the lower lip
with an easy gesture which serves as
well as smack.
The shrinking girl who is over.
wrought and nervous at her brusque
contact with the forms of law, will
raise the volume in her trembling hand
and plant a resounding kiss upon the
cover strong enough TO take off piece
/ of the bark. Other pretty maidens
sweep their rosy lips over the cover,
with a delicate and silent caress, as il
they were bidding a modest lover
goodnight" at the door and were
afraid that papa would hear"
Longshoremen, draymen and other
vigorous out-of-door chaps take the in
junction of the court literally, and one
of their unctuous kisses has beer
known-so tits said-to start team Of
horses in motion a block away.
Nervous individuals, at the giver
command, are prone TO duck theil
heads as they lean over and salute tn,
book as it lies upon the desk, instead o.
raising il gracefully to the mouth.
In many instances justices refuse Il
allow women witnesses to kiss uth,
book through their wells, SO they mus
raise 'em before the oath is admins
tered, no ''sifted" or strained" kisse
being allowable.
The trembling lips of aged mother
falteringly touch the soiled covers
upon which drop stray tears as the,
testify against drunken, british hus
bands or wayward sons. Others han
die the volume. with reverent toucl
and kiss it with an air that prepossesse
one in favor of the testimony they ma,
give. But the majority of witnesse
! view it merely as dirty book.
And, SO for as the binding and ex
ternal appearance 20. that's what it ID
| IN. Y. Recorden