ANECDOTE OF THE LATE JUGE GRAY.

Evening Star, Issue 3851, 28 June 1875, Page 3

ANECDOTE OF THE LATE JUGE GRAY.

After the death of a well-known personage, the public will generally listen to or read with interest a narration of any amusing or strange events that happened to him during his lifetime. The following laughable incident in the life of the late Mr Gray is worth recounting. It occurred at an ordinary in one of the up-country hotels. A t the table were seated a number of gentlemen who were mostly known to each other, as well as knowing by sight the worthy Judge, who formed one of the company. The Judge, after finishing his repast, rose from the table, and quietly proceeded to remove his bat from amongst a number of others that hung on pegs on the wall. A gentleman on the opposite side of the table had noticed this proceeding, and became suddenly under the impression that there was a mistake being made in the selection of the hat. He at once addressed the Judge in a polite tone, albeit in a tone not in the least indicative of incertitude—“ Mr Gray, excuse me, you are taking my hat.” Mr Gray neither replied nor attempted an examination of the hat he held in his hand, but promptly though leisurely walked round to the other side of the table, and gently placed the hat on the head of the senO

tleman who had addressed him—■b piece of harmless finessing on the part of the Judge that carried instant conviction with it. The hat, acting like an extinguisher, slid over the eyes and ears of the wearer, who looked exceedingly like a person that had been severely bonneted. Here was a practical and effectual method of demonstrating to those present, and to the over-hatted gentleman in particular, who, by-the-bye, was a bit of a “ buck” in his way, that the disputed hat was evidently not on the head of the wearer.; The Judge, who preserved an unmoved countenance throughout, then placed the hat, which fitted him admirably, on his own head, and glided quietly fromthe room. It is scarcely necessary to add that the mild, dry humor and imperturbability'of the Judge, coupled with the ludricrous appearance that the other presented proved too much for the gravity of the on-lookers, Like Yorick, the Judge had fairly set the table in a roar.— ‘ Cromwell Argus.’