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Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2292, 19 March 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

A man, crippled and blind, a man who could scarcely crawl along the street, fumbled his way into a lawyer's office. " What can I do for you ?" the lawyer asked. "Oh ray dear sir," implored the beggar, "havetnercy, pity on me." "Well, state yonr case. Anybody been robbing you?" "No sir." Kicked out of a board-ing-house?" "Oh, no." "Refused admission into a show ?' " Nothing of that sort, sir." "Turned out of the church?" "No, sir." "Lost your hand-organ, I suppose ?" " No, my organ is at the hotel." " Forgot how you went blind, I reckon?" "Oh, no, sir, I was struck by lightning." "Of course. Well, what do you want of me?" " I want a dollar." "Here you are," handing him a dollar. " May heaven bless you, sir. If you have ever been in love you know how it is." "In love !" " Yes, sir. You see, T have fallen in love with a blind and crippled lady, and atn around to get up money enough to buy my marriage license."

Hearsay 'lOvipkxce.— An eminent Lord Chief Justice who was trying a right-of-way ease had before him a witness—an old farmer —who was proceeding to tell the. jury that lie had " knowed the path for sixty yeer, and my feyther tould I as lie honrd* tny granfeyther zay-*— : " "Stop," said the judge; "we ain't have hearsay evidence here." "Not!", Farmer (iiles. "Then how dost know who Miy feyther was'cept by hearsay?" After the laughter had subsided, the judge said, •' l'n courts of law we can only be guided with what you have seen with your eyes, and nothing more or less." "Oh, that be bio wed for a tale ! " replied the farmer. " I ha' got a bile on the back of my neck, and I never seed 'un, but T be prepared to swear that he's there, dang un !" This second triumph on the part of the witness let in a torrent of hearsay evidence about the footpath which obtained we ight with the jury, albeit the judge told them it was not testimony of any value, and the farmer's party-won,