WHAT THE HARVEST PROVED TO BE.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 189, 22 February 1878, Page 7

WHAT THE HARVEST PROVED TO BE.

The dull monotony of the Court proceedings in a town in San Francisco was recently enlivened in the case of the Commonwealth against Dobson, in which the defendant was accused of assault upon a young lady .named Hetler. by kissing her against her will. The plaintiff complained that Dobson, v by force ot arms, malice aforethought, and instigated by the devil, did then violently assault, waylay, etc." • She told her story in a plain, straightforward kind of way, to the effect that she was enjoying the evening bree2e while leaning* over ' her" father's fence, and that . William Dobson came along, seized her by the hands, and, forcibly pulling her oyer the palisade, committed the assault for which she claimed redress at the hands of the law. A sister of tbe complainant testified that she did not see the - alleged impropriety, because of the darkness and she being in another part of the yard, but she heard a kiss or something that sounded like a kiss, and knew that somethingwas, going on. Dobson (a jolly specimen of the Cockney), claimed the privilege of being his own witness, ' and he told the part of the stoi*y omitted by Miss- Hetler and her sister. His narrative of the occurrence in "which he had been involved runs as follows :— Dobson : ' 'You see yer 'on ors I was walking along, : singing,' What will the 'arvest be?'" Counsel for the plaintiff, disposed to have a little fun while confusing the witness; "you were singing 'What will the 'arvest- be V •". (closely imitating the intonation of the' witness). Dobsou (very composedly) : Yes, sir. « What will, the 'arvest ba ?" Counsel : " What will the 'arvest beT

Dobson (unruffled) : "What will the 'arvest be ?" Counsel : " Well, go on. sir." Dobson : " Yer see, yer 'osors, T was going along, singing ' What will the 'arvest be ?' when I heard Mary singing, « What will the 'arvest be ?'" Counsel : " She was singing l What will the 'arvest heY " By this time there were decided evidences of merriment all over the court room ; but Dobson remained as imperturbable as though officiating at a funeral. Dobson ; " Yes, sir. She was singing ' What will die 'arvest be ?' but not so loud as I was ; and I called out, Hillo, Mary, are that you ? and she said it be. I went up to the fence, and she said she were hall halone, as her father 'ad gone to ' class.' " Counsel : " Gone to class. What did she mean by that ?" Dobson : " Why, any fool knows what * class ' means. Her father 'ad gone toclass meeting and left 'er halone. We chatted a little, and then Counsel : " Well, you have heard the testimony. You seized her, pulled her oyer the fence, and kissed her V Dobson : " No. That testimony is false. We talked awhile, ancl she sort of leaned over the fence — like as if she wanted me to — and just then Satan got the best of me, and I kissed 'er right hon the mouth. I found out ' What will the 'arvest be,' and I think she was a heasy prey." Here the gravity of the court, counsellors, and spectators, gave way, and seldom in a court of justice has there been such a scene of hilariousness. All business was suspended for several minutes to allow those in tbe court to recover their equanimity. Dobsou was aquitted of the charge of assnlt, but had to pay half the costs of the suit as as his share ofthe " 'arvest."