Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 10.pdf/347

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The Green Bag.

standing on tiptoe as gunners do upon the firing of a hundred-ton gun. The Governor's wrath, think they, penetrates the remotest corners of the universe, and shall scourge the shrieking justices of the Supreme Court to the uttermost parts of the earth." This is the only proper vein in which to treat such insane ravings. Assuming that Governor Leedy is a lawyer — which seems a violent assumption — he seems to believe and contend that a corporation, which is an aggregation of persons, may be robbed with impunity because a corporation is not one per son. Truly, people have a hard row to hoe when they combine. A man may do a thing with impunity, which would be a crime if he joined himself to others to do it; and so, although his property and earnings are not liable to confiscation if he acts as an indi vidual, yet they may be taken away from him and others who have formed themselves into a corpora tion! We do not greatly mind saying that in our judgment it is not the Supreme Court that is here revealing the " hoof," but the Governor, who, in his grotesque kicking, is exposing four of the articles and cleaving the unoffending air with them. If our re collection serves, Job has something to say on this point of animal resemblance. But we forbear. Will "Law Notes" kindly consider itself patted on the back by the Chairman, and requested perge modo, formose puerf The Weighing Habit. — The Chairman is accus tomed to ride on the trolley cars from his home to his office daily, and frequently is joined by a worthy member of the bar, who thinks a great deal about his health. In fact, he is very nervous about it, and seems always to be contemplating " Crossing the Bar." The other morning the Chairman said to him : " I see our fleet has got under weigh." Yes,"' he answered in a listless, dreamy manner: "by the way," he continued, meaning no pun, for he is a matter-of-fact person, " how much do you think I have lost in a week?" Thinking from the sadness of his manner that he meant money, the Chairman answered: " I'm sure I can't guess. Not enough I hope seriously to cripple you." He stared and replied : " Why, losing weight doesn't cripple a man that I know of. But I have fallen off two pounds in a week, and I tell you if I go on at this rate for ten or twelve weeks I shall be a shadow." "How much do you weigh when in ordinary health?" "Oh, about 165. Then my wife, she's awfully worried about the new baby — it lost six ounces last week." " Teething, isn't it?" "Yes." "How much has the baby weighed?" "Well, I guess about twenty-eight pounds at six months. But that isn't the worst of it. There's my wife — " "You don't mean to tell me that she is wasting away?"

"Oh, no — she's gaining; gained three pounds last month." "What is her usual weight?" "About 132." "Does she seem to be out of health?" "No, but you know it spoils the fit of her clothes, and she is afraid of losing her waist." " So you're both concerned about waste? " Not a smile — the joke had not hit any more than a Spanish missile. "Now, my friend," said the Chairman, "You keep scales in the house, don't you, and weigh all hands every week?" "Yes." "Well, let me give you a bit of advice. Sell or give away those scales, and give up the weighing habit, and you will come out all right." " Don't you think we'd better go to some watering place?" " No, not unless you can find one that fattens men and babies and makes women thin. Probably you'd have to separate mother and baby, and I understand that would be inconvenient just at present — " "So you think I'd better stop weigh ing?" " Yes, it seems to me the only way out of your troubles." (Missed again.) The only trouble with my friend was that he did not recall the Scrip ture injunction, "Take no thought for the morrow, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, or where withal ye shall be clothed," — or how much or little ye shall weigh. There is too much attention given to health, and many a man wears himself out in taking exercise. The human race contrive generally to be fairly healthy until they become old enough to worry about it. In respect to health, it is just as it is in respect to learning the bicycle; if one does not know that it is difficult he will find no difficulty in riding. Children never have to learn — they get on and ride off the first time. So, as a general rule, people are more apt to be healthy if they do not suspect that they are in danger of getting out of health. In point of fact, thinking about one's body, or one's soul, for that matter, is poor business. There is a difference, however — mankind are very often anxious about their own bodies, but seldom about those of other persons; very often about other persons' souls, but almost never about their own.

An Honest Detective. — The recent decision of the Kentucky Court of Appeals in Pedigo v. Com monwealth, 44 S. W. Rep. 143. has given rise to some criticism. The " Central Law Journal "states the case as follows : — "This was a criminal prosecution for arson, wherein it was held that testimony as to trailing by a blood hound is admissible, where it is established by the tes timony of some person, who has personal knowledge of the fact, that the dog in question has acuteness of scent and power of discrimination, and has been trained or tested in the tracking of human beings, and it appears that the dog so trained and tested was laid on the trail, whether visible or not, at a point where the circumstances tend