The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-01-23

tie.
So early in the year the whole of
fashionable Lordon forsook the chilli
ness of the park for the warmth of
Mr.. Justice Frampton's unventilated
courr, which bore the appearance of
a fashionable drawing-room, for the
monde turned out to watch the squirm-
ings of a woman on the grid"
The earl and countess of IbroX, for
once in harmony and almost cordial
to each other, were much nearer,
though not much dearer, than they
had been for many years, owing to the
congested state of the court. On the
right of her ladyship fidgeted Linlith-
gov, trying to appear unconcerned
and failing egregiously; and on the
other side of the court, near the jury
box, sat the plaintiff, a dream in red
with white fur-the proximity of
whom successfully distracted the
twelve good men and true from the
prose of hard facts.
The duchess of Dumplingshire bore
the heat with as little temper as pos
the countess, and made great play
with her inevitable "starers;" and by
her side sat an elderly and withered
olive branch with complexion of legal
parchment, to which the murkiness of
the court was phenomenally beneti-
cent, who longed in her heart to over
look Linlithgow's lapse and to prove
to him how far superior lady of her
position was to person of that class.
Lord and Lady Ashley collided on the
judges bench to their common sur
prise, meeting for the first time for
many years; and the notorious mar
quis of Eggleston made his reappear-
ance in good society. In short, every
body who thought themselves anybody
had CALAMITY fought their way
through an ill-mannered football
scrimmage and braved the battue of
bacilli in the stuffy court for the sake
of seeing right done to the wronged
young peer, to whom they were all SO
anxious to wed their available prog
eny.
The counsel engaged were the most
toothless and eminent in the land.
whose indistinct mumblings were lost
in The meshes of their wigs. There
and host of juniors played the part of
the boys, who tagged the balls behind
the line.
The jury was a merry medley of ma
h'ionettes, who responded whenever
the usher pulled the string, but did
not seem at their ease, alth ugh every
one was much too busy to look a t them.
The foreman was bottle-nosed butch
err; and round and behind him was
flanked an array of thinkers. tailors,
bakers and candlestick makers, who
were aided in their deliberations by a
brace of pompous publicans and a
leading bookmalter. The last turned
out to be an important factor on the
plaintiffs side; for a few weeks be-
fore he had lost a large sum of money
to Lord IbrON, and he thought, con-
sidering the amount already to his
credit, it would be far better in the
purse of the dainty little lady, who
pleading eyes.
The judge, noted for his susceptible
ity when the fair sex we've concerned,
and personal enemy {: Lord IbroX
on the turf, dOnned s"cond pair of
glasses and alternately ogled the plain
tiff and glared at the paternal repre-
sentative of the defendant, cracking
jokes and making caustic remarks at
the expense of his old foe.
Dolly made a very charming witness
and delighted everyone, except the
mothers of manageable daughters;
but Linlithgow broke down, to all ap-
pearance, admitting a promise made
frequently, and throwing the blame of
the breach thereof upon parental pres
sure. The counsel on both sides, try
ing to Justify the figure on their briefs,
mumbled much and disparaged their
opponents almost as greatly as they
complime their clients.
When the time of summing up came,
amidst breathless silence (for there
was no breath left in the COURT. the
judge held the scale of justice most I'M
evenly, dilating upon beauty in dis
tress and the well-filled Golfers of the
house of IbroX, and pointing out that
it was undoubtedly the father who.
acting as mundane kings proctor, had
interviewed in this marriage project
made in Heaven. In a word, he was the
one who ought to recompense this
badly treated young lady most sub
stantially for having deprived her of
earthly happiness, the status of n
countess and the huge rent roll of the
accompanying estates. Let then4 not
be afraid to do justice by awarding her
substantial damages!
And great was Lord IbroX's disgust
when he found himself let in for G 90
900 damages and costs, to be paid into
court within a fortnight, through the
combined efforts of a pair of brown
eyes, a sentimental judge on the edge
of his dotage, a bookmaker with pc
cuniary prejudices and an impression
able jury.
About a month later, before he had
got over the shock AID ANNOYANCE
caused by the amount of damages, the
earl of IbroX received a letter by the
last post. 1t ran:
Lord and Lady Linlithgow present
their compliments to their father. the