reatest wisdom of Parliament may be thrown away on
ungrateful people.

The first skirmish between the two doughty champions of the hostile
forces took place over the misdated writ. Judgment was signed for want
of appearance; and then came a summons to set it aside. The Judge set it
aside, and the Divisional Court set aside the Judge, and the Court of
Appeal set aside the Divisional Court upon the terms of the defendant
paying the costs, and the writ being amended, &c. &c. And I saw that
when the Judge in Chambers had hesitatingly and "not without grave doubt"
set aside the judgment, Mr. Prigg said to Mr. Locust, "What a very nice
point!" And Mr. Locust replied:

"A very nice point, indeed! Of course you'll appeal?" And Mr. Quibbler,
Mr. Locust's pleader, said, "A very neat point!"

"Oh dear, yes," answered Mr. Prigg.

And then Mr. Prigg's clerk said to Mr. Locust's clerk--"What a very nice
point!" And Mr. Locust's clerk rejoined that it was indeed a very nice
point! And then Mr. Locust's boy in the office said to Mr. Prigg's boy
in the office, "What a very nice point!" And Mr. Prigg's boy, a pale
tall lad of about five feet six, and of remarkably quiet demeanour,
replied--

"A dam nice point!"

Next came letters from the respective Solicitors, suggesting a compromise
in such terms that compromise became impossible; each affirming that he
was so averse from litigation that almost any amicable arrangement that
could be come to would be most welcome. Each required a sum of two
hundred pounds and an apology in six morning papers. And I saw at the
foot of one of Mr. Prigg's letters, when the hope of compromise was
nearly at an end, these touching words:

"Bumpkin's blood's up!"

And at the end of the answer thereto, this very expressive retort:

"You say Bumpkin's blood is up; so is Snooks'--do your worst!"

As I desire to inform the lay reader as to the interesting course an
action may take under the present expeditious mode of procedure, I must
now state what I saw in my dream. The course is sinuosity itself in
appearance, but that only renders it the more beautiful. The reader will
be able to judge for himself of the simple method by which we try actions
nowadays, and how very delightful the procedure is. The first skirmish
cost Snooks seventeen pounds six shillings and eight-pence. It cost
Bumpkin only three pounds seventeen shillings, or _one heifer_. Now
commenced that wonderful process call