Solomon in The Shade

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 61, 1 November 1884, Page 2

Solomon in The Shade

♦ — ■ The Shanghai ' Celestial Empire' tells this story t — When Solomon : was asked to decide which *>f two women a child belonged to, he tailed for his sword, and proposed to out the child in two and giro half to each ; the. real mother went into hysterics* and Solomon decided:' in her favor. But at ifcfe Mixed Court the other day an actual division was xnade, end Solomon's judgment wras put jn the shade. The chattel in diipute wai a black dog, with hia tail clipped bar* except at the extremity, which Mil 1 retained some long hair. The. dog was quite unooncerntd, .and vent, muffins around the arena and under thr -court table at the magistrate's feet, cr 1 "wiere* ver his tether would allow ; him to extend his explorations. The claimants , for the dog were a butcher and a washerman. The butcher's assistant held a string, with the dog at the end of it. The washerman held a basket in his hand efentaiaing^hair which he had clipped from iKe dog'i tail, and which be produced in proof of ownership. Mr Howe, the ins factor of markets, stated that he had known the batcher for many years, and that he had seen the dog at his place ?*and that he bettered that the dog belonged to the butohrr. 1 1 was also stated 1 by the police that an experiment had been tried at Hangkow p< lice station ; the washenpnh ohlled on the dog, but it would not follow him ; but when the butcher enlled the dog heard his master's voice and ; knew the sound thereof. As a last -resort to *prnvo tM that the dog lored him and belonged* to him, the£wa«herinan pulled of his jacket and showed a plaster stuck' between* lus shoulder-blades, saying that the do&Jind bit him there. The Magistrate decided in faror of the washerman so far that he was allowed to keep the basketful of hair, and the butcher was allowed.to take the rest or the doe. ' '