A TALE OF A WOODEN LEG.

Temuka Leader, Issue 356, 24 February 1881, Page 3

A TALE OF A WOODEN LEG.

Modern science has brought the cork leg to a pitch of perfection which renders it almost impossible for the casual observer to detect the difference betweeu the re and the artificial. There was an eminent serjeant-at-law in England some years ago, who had a cork leg that was a triumph of artistic deception. None but his intimates kne.v for certain which was the real and which was the sham limb. A wild young wag of the bar, who knew the sergeant pretty well, thought to utilise this knowledge of the barrister's secret to • take in ' a green, newly-fledged young barrister. The sergeant was addressing a special jury at Westminister in his usual' and vehement style, and the wag to his neighbor, ' You see how hot old Buzfuz is over his case ; now, I'll bet you a sovereign I'll run this pin into his leg up to the head, and jf-v^K...notice it, he's so absorbed in his case. "BeTr-*— man in that way.' This was more than tlie greenhorn could swallow, so he took the bet. The wag drew a large pin from- his waistcoat, and, leaning forward, drove it up to the head in the sergeant's kg. A yell that froze the blond of all who heard it, and made the hair of the jury stand on end, and caused the judge's wig almost to fall off, rang through the Court. 'By Jove ; its the wrong leg, and I have lost my money,' exclaimed the dismayed and consciencestricken wag, quite regardlesß of the pain he had inflicted upon the learned serjeant.