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Show 1 se gwtne to oe rested for steaiin'ot two hams out'en de cross road store.' "'Well, Ponipey.'I asked, 'did you steal the bams? " 'Mars John, I just took 'em.' " 'Did any one see you? I asked. "Yas, boss,' said the old negro disconsolately, dis-consolately, 'two ole white buckra's.' " 'Well, Pompey,' I replied. 'I can't dc anything for you under the circumstances.' circum-stances.' " 'Now, Mars John,' said old Pompey, 'here's ten dollars. I jist want you to try.' "Well, I consented to try," said Allen. "Tho case was to be heard before an old magistrate named Johnson. Ho was totally uneducated, and was moreover a perfect dictator, and no negro ever came before him who was not fined the maximum maxi-mum penalty and sent to his field to expiate ex-piate the crime in the sweat of his brow. "The magistrate heard the case. Every possible proof was brought to show that Pompey stole the hams. There could b no doubt of it from the testimony. I did not put a single question to any of th witnesses, but when the testimony was all in I arose, and in my most dignified manner addressed the magistrate: " 'May it please your honor, it would b useless for me to argue before one who would adorn the Buperjpr if not the supreme su-preme court bench of this grand old commonwealth. And I may say that those who know you best say that you would grace even the supreme court of the United States, tho highest tribunal in the land. It will be useless to dwell upon the testimony. You have heard it, and know the case as well as I do. However, How-ever, it may not be out of order for mo to call your honor's attention to a short passage in the old English law, which clearly decides this case, and which, for the moment, your honor may have forgotten.' for-gotten.' "Then I fished down in my pocket and drew forth, with a great flourish, an old copy of 'Julius Ctesar.' I opened it with great dignity to the first page and read the line which is familiar toevery school boy, 'Omnia Gallia in partes tres diviea est.' 'That decides the case,' said I, throwing the book upon the table. 'That clearly acquits the defendant. "With great dignity and solemnity 1 then took my seat. - The old magistral was completely nonplused. He looked at roe a moment quizzically and scratched his head. Then, turning to Pompey, he raised himself to bis full height and said: - " 'Pompey ,1 know you Btole them hams, but bv the ingenuity of your lawyer I've LAWYER ALLEN'S . FIRST" VICTORY. J. Bad Caw Made Good by Profound Opinion from the Clawlct. "Private John Allen," of Mississippi, who became; the wit of the house of representatives with the death of Sunset Cox, tells a good story on himself of bow he came to be a profound lawyer. A party of members were telling yarns in tbe cloak room of the house, and when Allen's turn came he told this one: .'I want to tell you of the greatest legal , victory of my life," said Allen as he lighted a "cigar and propped his feet atrainst the wall in true southern style. 'It was down in Tupelo during the trying period just after the war. I was at that time a practicing lawyer-that is, I practiced prac-ticed whenever I had any caw to practice prac-tice with. One day old 'Uncle' Pompey, one of the old negroes of the settlement, came into my office and said : 'itMars Jobji. I wants rou to clar me. |