The Irish standard., 1902-05-24

"Stop your whistling and stomping!
Don't you know any better than to
whistle and stomp in court of JUS
tice?"
"But Mr.. s-Lis-Liscomb-"
The judge stared at the lawyer so
sternly he wilted in his chair.
"Shall throw him out, Waff?" asked
Bill Comfort, making a pugilistic ges-
ture with his bunch of waste.
"No," said the judge, withdrawing
his glare from Burberry and bestow-
ing it upon his engineer; "but I'll tell
you what you can do, Bill Comfort.
You can keep still or I'll throw you
out, and no two ways about it. Now,
Barney"
Barney stood up and was about to
speak when Col. Keever broke in ahead
of him.
"Your honor, it is customary first
to hear the plaintiff. beg to be al
lowed to make my statement"
"And l beg to be allowed to tell you
to mind your p's and as. Is my au-
thority to be respected or isn't it?"
Col. Keever coughed and thrust his
hand into his bosom.
81 WILL address this court, SIR"
"You will, will you!" exclaimed Waf-
file, starting up slowly. eff you say
much more, the dignity of this court
is going to be badly impaired"
"l'ou're disgrace to the law you
profess to represent.
"Silence, or I'll fine you for con-
tempt of court"
elf my fine was in proportion to my
contempt" scored the Colonel, ga mill
lion dollars wouldn't pay it."
"Now, you're getting personal Pet
tibone, if that man forgets himself
again, take him down to the end of
the hall and lock him up. While I'm
here this thing is going to be run ac-
cording to Waffle. Come here, Barney,
and I'll swear you"
Barney laid his hand on the book
while the oath was administered, then
he was asked in tone of judicial Sc
verify:
did you point deadly weapon at
that gentleman in the white hat?
"Yes, SIR"
''What was it-a shotgun?'
Eyes, SIR
"What was it loaded with?"
"No. 5 shot"
GLOW far were you from Col. Keevcr
at the time?"
"About fifty feet"
"Now, then, answer me squarc-up.
If your gun had gone off would it have
killed our respected friend?"
''Lthnk it would. sir"
The judge leaned forward in his
chair.
"Then why in the tiend's name didn't
you shoot?"
a painful silence settled over the
courtroom and then there came tit
ter from someone somewhere in the
crowd. Guy laughed outright. Spring
ing erect, the Colonel inflated his
broad chest, and fastened his eyes on
Waffle.
Sir" he cried in q voice whose every
intonation sent a palpitating chill
through Lem Billlins, "you are in
vested with the sacred majesty of law,
u
hand than raise it against one of the
noblest of my country's institutions,
but"
"That will do. Keever," cut in the
judge. snake any more comments
on my way of doing things and I'll
fine you and levy on your old blanket
sheet for the amount. You're the
kind of a frontier product that
makes an honest man blush for his
race. You're having your day now,
but the time will come when the
people will find you out. Beware of
that time, Keever, that's my advice
to you
Col. kccver arose stit1.v and strobe
to the door. There he halted to
shake his cane at the judge and ex-
claim wrathfulIy:
You shall answer for. this, sir!
Egad, | shall see that YOU answer
for this!"
He tlounced out OF the room and
the judge laughed and called after
him:
whenever you're ready for me,
Colonel. you'll find I'm ready for you.
liscomb, shall have to fire you ten
dollars, not Tor what You did do, but
for what you didn't do. If you will
! promise"
He was interrupted by the wild
tolling of Il bell. His words died
away on his lips and he sat riyidly
upright, listening to the sound as
though fascinated. Pettibone gave Il
startled jump. \ denthlike stiffness
was everywhere broken only by the
heavy breathing of those in the
room.
Its the ALARM cried Glimmer
his voice shaking with excitement;
"the Harmony men are coming after
the records! The Harmony men,"
Courts adiourncd!" shouted Waf
file, leaping on the table. 'Iun fo,
! the courthouse, every man of you!'
There followed scra,nbling rusl
for the door, accompanied by fierce
yells and shouts of defiance. In the
confusion. Guy and Barney were sep
arated from the sheriff and from
each other. Left to his own devices
Guy drew back and then trailet
along in the rear of the crowd
which swept down the stairs and of
up the street in the direction of The
courthouse.
ITO BE Continued
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