AN AMERICAN JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 664, 8 January 1875, Page 3

AN AMERICAN JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.

On one occasion, a gentlemen caught a well-dressed thief in the act of stealing a coat from his hall and secured him. He then procured tho assistance of an officer and conveyed him before Justice Eikcr. The officer told tho story of tho arrest &c., to which the Justice listened with much attention The thief, on entering the office sat down hut the gentleman stood up This little circumstance led Justice Riker to mistake the one for the other and looking the plaintiff in the eye, opened on him in this way;—“ You’re a pretty fellow ain’t you to go about in peoples hall’s stealing clothing ? What a sneaking contemptible way of stealing ? Why, a highwayman is a gentlemen to you. You look the sneaking thief you are all over. You turn pale on hearing the truth, do you ? Why, any one would think, to look at you that you were unused to this course of life, when I know you have been brought up before me a dozen times before for the same offence.” Here tho officer whispered to the Justice that ho was addressing the wrong man, and that tho thief was the man sitting behind tho gentleman. This aroused Mr Riker to a sense of his ludicrous mistake, and he arose upon his feet, and exclaimed, “ You needn’t think I don’t know yon, if yon do hide behind that gentleman, for I would know you, sir, among a hundred. All that [ have said was intend;l for you. Officer take him away !"

Tho Grand Trunk Railway of Canada has changed tho guago from broad to narrow. A want that may ho “ felt.”—Tho want of a'hat. • ' ’" J ' ‘- ' The faal.iop,editor of an American fcon-tempora’-y autna up the present femaleerstumo in tho brief word, ” tuckiipbelunddollywriggleddarupholitivencss.”