The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10

}URlED THE
! out of seven, and seven-tenths is seven out
OF ten;
Still Mr.. Bell hesitated. Every body in
court was still, too. Every brain there
was absorbed in mental calculation.
"Three-fifths, at last said Mr. Bell.
A d then his attorney interiered.
''Oh, you can't get this young man out
of the trouble I'll make for him if can, :"
said Attorney Ames Sleefully.
Mr.. Bel folded his arms defiantly and
scowled.
Yes, if you can" be snecred.
'Oh, you'd put him in jailr' said At
torney Scnooler, losing his temper and
burlesquing the dignlfed demeanor of
Fisher Ames.
There isn't Pc son in this courtroom
that can solve that lrobiem." Schooler
declared Indignantly. Il don't believs lie
can himself"
1.-THE common denominator," began MIR.
Ames dispassionately, lis seventy. Five
sevenths equals tiity-seventieths. Seven
tenths equals forty nine seventieths. The
d ference is one-seventieth-"
He said one-fiftieth a moment ago, "
declared Schooler.
al did not" said Ames.
"He did,
II did not"
You did,
81 did not"
| You"
''Gentlemen." purred Judge Coffey's
soft voice to his lead pencil, please keep
| further apart"
! One day few years ago when | was on
Sutter-street car the gripman halted at
| Octavia street. The length of time we
waited attracted my attention finally, and
looked up 10 see who the important per-
sonage was for whom that lordIy being, a
streetcar conductor, waits.
expected to see a beautifully dressed,
charming young girl--for even a car con-
ductor is human-or a putting miIliona ire,
writ all over with the assertion that
wealth is privileged, or a cripple, dunn bly,
pleading that misfortune is exempt from
the strict letter of streetcar law.
But it was none of these. A spare old
negress walked up briskly, but not with
|
! again the wheels of business turned.
She wore the planest of black gowns,
/ scant rather in the SIX TT, a long, large,
full immaculate white apron, a green
plaid shawl, large black straw bonnet,
tied down over her ears with broad black
81 k ribbon. and a white collar at her thin
wrinkled throat.
Its Nanny Pleasant" explained the
gripman. I'VE always wait for her and
she pays US we'll for il"
When Nanny Peasant walked into
court Wednesday afternoon and was
called TO the witness-stand a courtroom
fiend behind me whispered: There she
comes. She's smarter n the whole
shootin' match"
I'm inclined 10 believe that no char
acter, however great 1t may be, Is as gre at
as its reputation. This gaunt, tall black
woman, the most interesting figure in
San Francisco to-day, compels such re-
spect for her mental quaIifioation-Ieav-
ing out of ;he question her moral worth
or unworth-that reporters have probably
been tenn pied to add TO the reputation sh e
| has for managing, for controlling, for us
ing the power OF The mentally strong over
! the weak. On the other hand a great
lawyer, in closing his argument in the
Sharon case, said of Nanny Pleasant:
This old woman, without whose ad-
vice Sarah Althea Hill says she
did nothing, wrote nothing, promised
! nothing, has missed her vocation. If she
has strength CT character sufficient, not
only 10 influence, but to guide and con-
! al
| Van Amburgh would have been glad to
| hire her as lion-tamer."
The dark skinned lion-tamer walked to
the stand. Her face Is very, very thin.
| One can scarcely see her hollow, dark
eyes under the shadow of her scoop
! bonnet. Nanny Pleasant is aging
but not weakening. She walks with
firm. quick step and her voice
is full, decided and has less of the
negro accent than the voices of many
white girls of Alabama or Mississippi or
! Kentucky.
This old colored woman is as self-pos-
sessed as-as Bernhardt. She hasn't a
particle of fself-consciousness. She is pos
sesseo of a simple, natural dignity that
makes the stares, the presence of crowd
of strangers utterly Indifferent 10 her
| She sat up straight in the witness chair
| and answered questions with pre- possess.
ing readiness. When long dispute in
! terrupted the course OF her testimony she
drew up another chair, rested her feet
| upon its rungs and covered her face with
| her long black hands. But it was no. to
escape the inquisitive gaze of the peop g
| in court. 1t was simply that she was
weary.
Her ha bit of command betrayed itself
| twice once when Attorney Schooler