handed to me from the office of the gentle man alluded to, a message accompanying it to the effect that he would meet me for con sultation at five o'clock at the chambers of Mr. Montagu Chambers, in Child's Place. I read my instructions and found that the case was as dead a one as could well be im agined. One Solomon Isaacs was charged with receiving a quantity of stolen property, including several cartloads of bristles. . . . When taken into custody, Solomon Isaacs endeavored to escape; he also made a va riety of conflicting statements. Thus it was apparent that the case against him was a dead one. The meeting took place at the appointed hour at my leader's chambers, and on this occasion my little Jewish client was in more excellent spirits than I had ever seen him before. The more my leader and I expressed an opinion adverse to his case, the more delighted he seemed to be. Upon my leader declaring that we had not a leg to stand on, the little fellow was seized with an uncon trollable fit of merriment. The meeting over, my client accompanied me back to my chambers in King's Bench Walk. As we shook hands at parting, he exclaimed, — "Not a leg to stand on, eh? Ha! ha! ha! We shall see about that! Be early in court, my boy; the early bird, you know. Nil desperandum is my motto. Not a leg to stand on! Ha! ha!" and leaving me speechless with astonishment, he vanished in the dark ness with an unearthly kind of chuckle. On the morning of the trial, acting on my instructions, I made my appearance in court five or ten minutes before the business of the day commenced, and there, seated at the solicitor's table, I found my little friend at tentively reading the columns of " The Daily News." I observed, though the circumstance did not particularly engage my attention at the moment, that there was a solitary jury man in the box, who was also occupied with one of the morning papers. In due time the recorder, Mr. Russell Gur-
ney, came into court, whereupon the clerk of arraigns, as is customary, read over the names of the jurymen. To the astonishment of everybody, there were thirteen in the box! Upon the matter being investigated, the man whom I had noticed on entering the court, arose and addressed the Bench. I should explain that this individual was the most melancholy-looking man I have ever seen. He was dressed entirely in black, and looked the very picture of misery. "My lord," he said, " I am afraid that I am the cause of this confusion. I am in the list of jurymen for to-morrow; but I have had a great misfortune happen to me. I have lost my wife." The recorder, who was one of the kindesthearted men in the world, said he was sorry that the juryman should, under the circum stances, have thought it necessary to be present, and offered at once to release him from any further attendance during the session. "Thank you, my lord," said the melan choly-looking individual, " but I would rather serve to-day if you will allow me. I think the business of the court will distract my attention and help me for the time being to forget my loss. Perhaps one of the other gentlemen will leave the box now, and will serve for me to-morrow when I have to attend the funeral." The request was granted, and a gentleman stepped from the box. The jury was then sworn. I noticed that when it came the turn of the melancholy-looking man to take the oath, he did so with his hat on, being sworn on the Old Testament. The pris oner pleaded "Not Guilty," and the trial commenced. The evidence that was brought forward bore even more heavily upon the accused than I had anticipated. My leader in ad dressing the jury did the best he could under the circumstances, but entirely failed to produce any effect. The judge, having summed up, asked the jury if they desired him to read over the evidence. Upon the
