The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-09-09
Tepme. $1.OOper year, in advance
'enms: Six Months so cents.

what you THINK or what you SUPPOSE.
1 want plain answer to my question"
"But 1 was only going to say be-
gan the witness, timidly.
"Will you or will you not answer my
question ?" thundered the lawyer.
The color rose in the old mans face
and his blue eyes snapped. He had ev-
identity told an honest story, and was
irritated by the lawyers attempt to dis
credit his testimony. Concluding,
probably, that the only way to end the
badgering was to make a positive
statement, no matter what, and then
stick to it, he spoke up sharply: 81 was
just twenty.three feet from the horses
head"
"Will you swear it was not twenty
seven feet ?" asked the lawyer.
cit was just twenty-three feet" re-
peated the old man, doggedly.
"Do you mean to tell us that you can
judge distances as accurately as that?"
eyes, sir, l can."
Inc lawyer, feellng sure that the wit
ness had given his first definite answer
in the hope of escaping further ques-
tioning, and had been too proud to re.
cede, turned amiably to the jury.
"Gentleman," he said, "our venerable
friends ability to measure distances by
the eye is remarkable. But in justice
to my client I feel obliged to make a
little test here in your presence" Then,
turning with malicious smile to the
witness: "Wont you give us an exhibi-
tion of your wonderful powers by tell
ing us how long this courtroom is ?'-
The old man glanced carelessly along
the side of the room, and promptly an
swered, "Thirty-three feet and seven
inches"
"Now," said the lawyer, confidently,
81 will show you gentlemen the differ
ence between knowledge and bravado.
Will the court kindly permit the room
to be measured?"
The order was given, and to every
ones surprise the result was announced
as exactly thirty three feet and seven
inches.
Lawyer Haskell turned red. GA
strange coincidence; nothing more!" he
cried, in what was meant to be an Off
hand way. "Perhaps the witness will
also tell us how wide the room is"
"CertainIy," replied the old man.
"It's twenty-five feet and four inches"
Some one got down on the floor and
measured the distance carefully.
"Twenty-two feet, four inches," he an
nOunced.
Lawyer Haskell turned Indignantly
to the Judge. "Your honor" he said,
'there is some trickery here! l will
ask the witness one more question, and
1 will find out for myself whether he
tells the truth or not" and then, to the
witness, "How high is this room ?"
Fourteen feet and one.half inch"
answered the old man, cheerfully and
promptly, with hardly glance from
floor to ceiling.
The lawyer called for step-ladder,
and with red face and set teeth climbed
slowly up, measuring with great care.
The crowd watched him, and almost
unconsciously began to count aloud as
the two-foot rule crept up: "Four, six,
eight, ten, twelve, fourteen!" By This
time the end of the rule was so near
the ceiling that there was no necessity
for Mr. Haskell to announce the result.
The whole room burst into shout.
"The witness is excused" was all the
lawyer could say when he came down.
Although, in summing up, Mr.. Has
kell tried to prove that Mr.. Pettingill
never kept dog, any way, and that
Mr.. Blake's horse was afflicted with the
blind staggers and subject to heart
failure and temporary insanity, the
jury promptly gave Mr.. Blake the full
amount of damages asked for.
1t was some time before Mr.. Haskell
discovered that the witness he had
tried to ''rattle" was the carpenter who
had drawn the plans and made the
changes in the courthouse the year
before. Let us hope-though it be
hoping against hOpe-that the expe-
rience will incline him to treat wit
nesses with more politeness hereafter.
Youths Companion.