Ways of Living.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 390, 29 October 1903, Page 2

Ways of Living.

THE THAMES POLICE COURT.

MgSfrOMETIMES the Court is moved to tSSSto laughter, in which eves the witnesses who are there on more serious errands than that of a certain Jew who had been robbed of his watch, join. The Jaw, of course, keeps hi* hat on while ho takes his oath. This particular Jew had employed counsel, though it is to ba doubted if the counsel quite relished his work, Apparently" the Jew did not understand plain Esglisb, for the case finished up in this way : • Now, this watch of yours, which you state was stolen from you by the prisoner, what was its valu9, do you say ?' 4 1 didn't shay the value.' * Yes, you did, Sou have already stated it to the police.' •Have IP' * Yes. Tfc is set down as worth one pound ten.' The prosecutor shook his head. «Not one pouad ten P' said the counsel, 'Oh! no.' 'But you have already said so. .j •No, I haven't.' r - 'What is the value of your 'watch,* thenP' • Shirty shillings,' said the prosecutor; confidently. \ 'Perhaps *he had not been loDg in London.' - ; ; ■ 'n ; Bat the laughter soon dies away and a totally different expression comes over the faces of the crowd of witnesses as the' next cas6 comes on. . It is an old, old story—a story of a man mad with drink or jealousy. He is in the dock;. His victim —a wretched looking woman—is display. ing an ugly wound on the top of her head, a wound that Bhows plainly enough that the prisoner had been within an ace of taking the woman's life.' j He receives hi 3 sentence, and there is a buzz of approval among the intereated spectators in -»ourt. „ ;. A veiy different kmd of..caso is frequently heard at this court--a case with rum in it. Workmen are always 'sneaking' rum grom the dcc\s; it is a favourit9 fluid, and in bond io very much above proof—so very much above that the dock ofhoials are enabled to identify their property by testing it to the exact decimal point. But theßa rum cases make •weary bueinesß to listen to," are full cf vain repetitions, hard swearing, and exceedingly dry facts, and run on.to an interminable length.

TKAMP PEOBLBM. The Kansas farmers have overcome the physical inertia of the tramp. They did it with a gun. A train westward bonnd was wrecked near the town of Pratt, and on it were fifty or sixty tramps bound for Colorado for their health. The faraerß offered them eight shilling aday, which they declined. The farmers used shotgun pemasion.and the tramps bega* working,