Year: 1869

REGRET to say that my story is of the
shop, sboppyl | use the word regret ad.
visedly, weighed down by the melancholy
reflection that somehow or other, when
ever l am called upon to make myself
agreeable and entertaining, always flv to
professional sources for inspiration. The
only excuse | can offer upon the present
occasion is that this particular railway,
conveying me as it docs round circuit
twice year, awakens many remini-
scensces, one of which, connected with
the Spring assiZes at Reading some years
ago comes back forcibly to my mind.


1t was in the earlier days of my Bar ca
reer, and briefs were far from being as
plentiful as blackberries in autumn-in
fact, l had begun seriously to contem-
plate pawning my wig and gown, and
emigrating with the proceeds to British
Columbia, or some equally distant and
desolate locality Fortunately for me and
society generally, which sooner or later
must recognize my distinguished merits
by placing me on the woolsack aban-
doned the idea of British Columbia, and
went to Reading. A benefcent fate re-
warded me for my courage in the shape of
big brief with a small fee, to defend two
men for conspiring 10 cheat young gen.
tleman, with more money than brains, by





1t was a case that had excited a good deal
of interest in the neighborhood, partly
from the very remarkable way in which
the cheat had been discovered by
stranger who happened to be in the room
where the play was going on, and who,
suspecting that all was not right, bad with
large carving-fork pinned the hand of
one of the conspirators to the table. Un-
derneath 1t, sure enough, were found the
loaded dice, which he had manipulated
up and down his sleeve so skillfully that
the verdant youth found himself some
five hundred pounds to the bad. AS
counsel for the defendants the aspect of
the case was far from inviting, and, as the
very beery solicitor who instructed me
observed, +" II looked uncommon fishy."


In that remark entirely concurred, and
folded up the papers with hopeless sigh,
cursing the illluck that always brought
me the deadest cases. In the present in
stance there was little for me to do but
to sit by and hold my tongues process,
by the way, anything but satisfactory to
one fond OF hearing the sound of his own
voice. Apart from professional regrets, !
could not help feeling that this precious
pair of rascals thoroughly deserved all
they were likely to get, and the longer
they were shut up the better for the COM
munity at large.


The trial came on in due course, and the
two prisoners were placed at the bar AS
looked at them l was much struck by
their gentlemanly appearance and dress (;
but then | remembered that all that was
part of the stock-in-trade of persons of
their class, and turning to my brief pre-
pared to do battle. AS this is but a sub
sidiary portion of my story it is needless
for me TO linger over the details of the
trial. They say that q lucky fate often
follows on the footsteps of rogues, and in
this instance, by some objectionable care
lessness on the part of the constable, the
oaded dice which had been found under
the hand of one of the prisoners were not
forthcoming, and after a great deal Of
wrangling with the counsel ON the other
side, the learned Judge said that the prose-
cution in not producing 1t had in his
opinion, failed To make out a sufficient case
TO go TO the jury, and that he must there.
lore direct verdict for the acquittal of
the prisoners, They were as much aston
ished and oYerpowered as myself by the
unexpected turn things had taken, and
with admirable celebrity disappeared from
the dock. ~


Some four years afterward received a
very pressing invitation from my old e on
friend, Charlie Forester, asking me To
run down TO his place in Deyonshire, and
spend few days there. Master Charlie,
whose lines had fallen in exceedingly
pleasant places, and who at twenty-one
had come into very nice estate and some
five thousand pounds annually, sfter tan
talizing all the maTriageable girls in the
county by refusing 70 go to the balls and
croquet parties, with invitations for which
he was pertinaciously pestered from morn
ing till night had finally taken himself
abroad, no one knew whittier, and there
remained between four and five years.
When he returned home again he brought
wife with him, a preceding on his part
which excited general discomfort and dis
appreciation But Charlie cared very
little what the county folks thought
about him. He was passionately fond OF
his wife, and consequently devoted TO
home while he. occupied his time in
regulating the affairs of his estate, and
improving the breed OF pigs. In short
he found within the limits of his payl
fence al the amusement and society he re-
CURED His attachment for his wife wa
not surprising, for she was indeed mos