TEN MINUTES IN COURT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1772, 10 June 1913, Page 5

TEN MINUTES IN COURT.

LOQUACIOUS WOMAN HOLDS SWAY.

A character which might bo immortalised by anyone possessing tho literary ability of Diokens harangued tho MagiSr trate's Court at great length yesterday. Short, plump, voluble, determined, and fifty, she indignantly brushed aside tha imputation that she was a sly grog-seller, ana serenely disregarding all instructions to keep quiet, proceeded to tell the Magistrate "that it was this way, your Honour." The polios deposed that her house had been under suspicion for some time, and that on Sunday, May 25. a consffiblo in plain clothes, and another man, had gone there, and obtained beer, for which they had paid one shilling. •"I never in my lifo took money for drink, and I'm on my oath," begin the defendant. "He comes up to me, and he Bays: 'Mo an' my mate's been on the drunk last night, and we're feelin very rotten. Do you know where wo can get a beer?' Well, your Honour, I knows what it is to suffer for want of it, so I Bays: 'I'll go into that'ouse there an see if they has any, and if they hasn t, well, I might 'avo a drop left over jneself.' Well, they hadn't nothing in tho house next door, so—-and - mind you, I never took no money in me life for drink, though' I've give! many a glass away—l took them into, my plaoe, and ■ ono sat on the table and) the other no eat on a box. Now, as he says—him there, and mind you I'm on me solemn oath—l givo 'ora beer, but I novel' took a penny for it. I never took a penny for beer in mo life, though I've give 'many a glass away; thairs the Lords truth, and I'm on me oath. I say 3to ono of thorn, says I: 'Have, K?' r ; cigarette?' 1 And he says: No, I amt. But he pulls out two sixpences and says: "Ere, buy yerself some if you can get 'em.' And that's all, yer Honour-an I'm on me oath. I never sold a drop of beer in my life, though I give many a glass away, ,?or I always get in on Saturday nights for_mo_ and tho old man. and I know what it is to suffer < And (scornfully) he se.vsit was in a bottle. I toll you, your Honour, when I (with omphnsis) goes for beer ;I generally takes a,square-face. I'm on me oath, too" She who had forced toe Court into taciturnity for a considerable time wa9 informed, as soon as opportunity arose, that she had been fined J!5, in default, II days' imprisonments The Clerk of the Court: Have yon, any goods to levy on? : ' Defendant: Ouly a few sticks, and they wouldn't bring .£5. And if they would, I wouldn't pay tho fine. I'm doing a month now for something else,, so I may as well do this fourteen days. On the way out she shook her finger in tho face of a highly-amused pplico sergeant, who, sat smiling, calmly while she went through various; fearsome antics which seemed to imp]y threats of violence without words. ;