h wigs and gowns for attorneys, but
attorneys are still regarded as attaches of the court, even though
one-half of them, according to Judge DeCourcy of Boston, are engaged
most of the time in attempts to bamboozle and befog the judge and jury
and defeat the ends of justice. Likewise, we still use the word "Court,"
signifying the place where lives royalty, even for the dingy office of a
country J. P., where sawdust spittoons are the bric-a-brac and
patent-office reports loom large, and justice is dispensed with. We now
also commonly call the man "the Court."

* * * * *

Alfred was filled with a desire to educate, and to this end organized a
school at the Ox Ford, where his friend Asser taught. This school was
the germ of the University of Oxford. Attached to this school was a
farm, where the boys were taught how to sow and plant and reap to the
best advantage. Here they also bred and raised horses and cattle, and
the care of livestock was a part of the curriculum. It was the first
College of Agriculture.

It comes to us as somewhat of a surprise to see how we are now going
back to simplicity, and the agricultural college is being given the due
and thoughtful consideration which it deserves. Twenty years ago our
agricultural college was considered more or less of a joke, but now that
which adds greatly to the wealth of the nation, and the happiness and
well-being of the people, is looked upon as worthy of our support and
highest respect.

Up to the time of Alfred, England had no navy. For the government to own
ships seemed quite preposterous, since the people had come to England to
stay, and were not marauders intent on exploitation and conquest, like
the Norsemen.

But after Alfred had vanquished the Danes and they had settled down as
citizens, he took their ships, refitted them, built more and said: "No
more marauders shall land on these shores. If we are threatened we will
meet the enemy on the sea."

In a few years along came a fleet of marauding Norse. The English ships
on the lookout gave the alarm, and England's navy put out to meet them.
The enemy were taken by surprise, and the fate that five hundred years
later was to overtake the Spanish Armada, was theirs.

From that time to this, England has had a navy that has gradually grown
in power.

Let no one imagine that peace and rest came to Alfred. His life was a
battle, for not only did he have to fight the Danes, but he had