s--in a word, by the seedy
and dejected of all nations--and in a corner is a box where more can be
had when they are wanted.

On the right are more pine benches, for the use of prisoners, and their
friends and witnesses.

An officer, in a gray uniform, and with a star upon his breast, guards
the door.

A holy calm pervades the scene.

The case of Smith vs. Jones being called, each of these parties
(stepping out from among the other seedy ones) gave the court a
particular and circumstantial account of how the whole thing occurred,
and then sat down.

The two narratives differed from each other.

In reality, I was half persuaded that these men were talking about two
separate and distinct affairs altogether, inasmuch as no single
circumstance mentioned by one was even remotely hinted at by the other.

Mr. Alfred Sowerby was then called to the witness-stand, and testified
as follows:

"I was in the saloon at the time, your Honor, and I see this man Smith
come up all of a sudden to Jones, who warn't saying a word, and split
him in the snoot--"

LAWYER.--"Did what, sir?"

WITNESS.--"Busted him in the snoot."

LAWYER.--"What do you mean by such language as that? When you say that
the plaintiff suddenly approached the defendant, who was silent at the
time, and 'busted him in the snoot,' do you mean that the plaintiff
struck the defendant?"

WITNESS.--"That's me--I'm swearing to that very circumstance--yes, your
Honor, that was just the way of it. Now, for instance, as if you was
Jones and I was Smith. Well, I comes up all of a sudden and says I to
your Honor, says I, 'D--n your old tripe--'"

(Suppressed laughter in the lobbies.)

THE COURT.--"Order in the court! Witness, you will confine yourself to a
plain statement of the facts in this case, and refrain from the
embellishments of metaphor and allegory as far as possible."

WITNESS.--(Considerably subdued.)--"I beg your Honor's pardon--I didn't
mean to be so brash. Well, Smith comes up to Jones all of a sudden and
mashed him in the bugle--"

LAWYER.--"Stop! Witness, this kind of language will not do. I will ask
you a plain question, and I require you to answer it simply, yes or no.
Did--the--plaintiff--strike--the defendant? Did he strike him?"

WITNESS.--"You bet your sweet life he did. Gad! he gave him a paster in
the trumpet--"

LAWYER.--"Take the witness! take the witness! take the witness! I have
no further use for him."

The lawyer on the othe