LAUGHTER
TEACHER--"Freddie, you musn"t laugh out loud in the schoolroom."
FREDDIE--"I didn"t mean to do it. I was smiling, and the smile busted."
Laugh and the world laughs with you, Weep, and the laugh"s on you.
About the best and finest thing in this world is laughter.--_Anna Alice Chapin_.
LAW
_See_ Punishment.
LAWYERS
Ignorance of the law does not prevent the losing lawyer from collecting his bill.--_Puck_.
George Ade had finished his speech at a recent dinner-party, and on seating himself a well-known lawyer rose, shoved his hands deep into his trousers" pockets, as was his habit and laughingly inquired of those present:
"Doesn"t it strike the company as a little unusual that a professional humorist should be funny?"
When the laugh had subsided, Ade drawled out:
"Doesn"t it strike the company as a little unusual that a lawyer should have his hands in his own pockets?"
A man was charged with stealing a horse, and after a long trial the jury acquitted him. Later in the day the man came back and asked the judge for a warrant against the lawyer who had successfully defended him.
"What"s the charge?" inquired the judge.
"Why, Your Honor," replied the man, "you see, I didn"t have the money to pay him his fee, so he took the horse I stole."--_J.J. O"Connell_.
An elderly darky in Georgia, charged with the theft of some chickens, had the misfortune to be defended by a young and inexperienced attorney, although it is doubtful whether anyone could have secured his acquittal, the commission of the crime having been proved beyond all doubt.
The darky received a pretty severe sentence. "Thank you, sah," said he cheerfully, addressing the judge when the sentence had been p.r.o.nounced.
"Dat"s mighty hard, sah, but it ain"t anywhere what I "spected. I thought, sah, dat between my character and dat speech of my lawyer dat you"d hang me, sh.o.r.e!"
"You have a pretty tough looking lot of customers to dispose of this morning, haven"t you?" remarked the friend of a magistrate, who had dropped in at the police court.
"Huh!" rejoined the dispenser of justice, "you are looking at the wrong bunch. Those are the lawyers."
"Did youse git anyt"ing?" whispered the burglar on guard as his pal emerged from the window.
"Naw, de bloke wot lives here is a lawyer," replied the other in disgust.
"Dat"s hard luck," said the first; "did youse lose anyt"ing?"
The dean of the Law Department was very busy and rather cross. The telephone rang.
"Well, what is it?" he snapped.
"Is that the city gas-works?" said a woman"s soft voice.
"No, madam," roared the dean; "this is the University Law Department."
"Ah," she answered in the sweetest of tones, "I didn"t miss it so far, after all, did I?"--_Carl Holliday_.
A lawyer cross-examining a witness, asked him where he was on a particular day; to which he replied that he had been in the company of two friends. "Friends."" exclaimed his tormentor; "two thieves, I suppose." "They may be so," replied the witness, dryly, "for they are both lawyers."
An impecunious young lawyer recently received the following letter from a tailor to whom he was indebted:
"Dear Sir: Kindly advise me by return mail when I may expect a remittance from you in settlement of my account.
Yours truly,
J. SNIPPEN."
The follower of Blackstone immediately replied:
"Dear Sir: I have your request for advice of a recent date, and beg leave to say that not having received any retainer from you I cannot act in the premises. Upon receipt of your check for $250 I shall be very glad to look the matter up for you and to acquaint you with the results of my investigations.
I am, sir, with great respect, your most obedient servant,
BARCLAY B. c.o.kE."
A prisoner was brought before the bar in the criminal court, but was not represented by a lawyer.