ORATION FROM THE DOCK

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 193, 9 May 1908, Page 10

ORATION FROM THE DOCK

A PRISONER'S POEfRY AND PROSE. ... LAUGHTER IN COURT. The sordid gloom of tho Clerkenwoll Sessions House, London, was lightened on March 24 by tho fantastic ability of Gfiorge Morley, who in his sixty-ono years' of lifo has played many parts—upholsterer, decorator, painter, salesman, linguist, elocutionist, poet, and despoiler of furnished lodgings. Tho last part brought hir.i to tho sessions, whore ho pleaded guilty, and iii mitigation read a loug statement with all the gestures of a popular actor, and tho tliiimpings on tho rail before him of a strenuous political orator. "My ,lord," he began, "I have pleaded guilty bccaase I havo no desiro t-o waste the time of. tho .court- 1 —I-" - - My lord intervened, with tho remark:— "That is not a very good reason." "Also becauso I am guilty," Morley continued. '' "•' "That is a very good reason," was my lord's second and last interruption, for Morley warmed t-o his work, and Mr. Wallace, K.C., who presides at t-heso functions, did not got another opening. THE TRUTH. "And what is more," said Morley, dropping casually into rhyme:— . ; v ■ • " I lio.il tho hour that finds me here, Before your Honour, as my judge, / ■ And all 1 say shall bo sincere, . • j -.Erom truth I wili not budge. "The wonder is, sir, that we have not met at an earli-er date, inasmuch as for somo. tinio now I havo been looking forward to ospocting and'indeed : preparing tho . way for. this prosent,. yet pleasant, legal tableau. . _ ' - ~ • "Thcro is, as 1 you know, a French jsaying, 'Tout vient a qui sait attendre.' (Everything t comc-3 to him who waits.) ' I havo waited for this hour, and it has come, and I am glad of it, rejoice in it, and havo a welcome for it. You know, sir,- that pro : videnco gives thick hides to animals that must, exi&t in; cold climates, and. to . v mcn that i aro reserved -'for-.'sorrow, it . gives a genuine, joyial spirit. .- - "Indeed, the inner side of the darkest cloud - is bright, and shining; .. - •' "''l. therefore turn'my clouds'kbout, .• And to-day I wear' them inside out,' ; That-*you may see the lining. , . . X; havo to admit,- that a warning' voice -• has •'often'whispered in n-.irie; ear--f: ; 'Bo careful, George,, or for tho Law Courts you are fated. Then in the -.newspapers.\ your case it .will appear,;' ' , ■ Whore legal stories ate so pithily narrated. "I havo done wrong with my' eves open, wilfully and fully, alive. I have mado my own bed, and intend'to lio upon it as'cheerfully as my age and constitution will permit." ..- . ■

NOT-A MONSTROUS CRIMINAL. •• . "One thing I am anxious to do,, and that' is to'prove that I am not. the, desperate character, such a', dreadful, .''monstrous criminal,' as I 'am. modo-'to "appear 'Magna est Veritas, et, prcvalebit,' ,-thiisriins ;tho Xatin proverb, but, my lord, .truth ;dpes .iiqt''clw!\ys.:prcvail oil'this side of the ','graveV' only beyond it.,.; .... "But .iiowrii my.lord, 'I will speak of iny..sblf;'.' I;' will.' give you. the l reasons. of .my 'conduct, and why' 'I rejoico to: b'o before you. . ••• '; •"I have done my utmost to'obtain employment, but-.without success. I have rc- ; solved not- to commit .:any dishonest.;.aot ; again, and'so I decided to enter the wprkJ . house.-; v- I went v to- th,e .relioving officer " thnt' pie'do''" of bumbledom' (after ' .snapping otit n few, questions) roughly- in-' "formed.'mo ;.lie...could' do vjiothing.. I came out'"disappointed,. but ; not conquered'. . -A' .."Soon I i'Wjis totally 'without food or .shelter,'and' only such, raimentleft as that. ,in. which- I, stand. On .-three' occasions'-'I sought." refugb; at the casual. wurds.i buti I do not , intend to go ithero .again. as long as there ;is ah earth: for a'bed and the nk'.v for ! a- counterpane'. Well, sir, : I resolved to >havo another hard, earnest'try for 'tpork,- snd, if I failed], to. take tho only course: left ..open for. me, namely,, to •got: into - gaol. ', -.; ■'

"For' if in: prison I should .land, .Both food ,and work would bo at iharid,... ,c And;-,when, released. -I-could command I !.'/ - A'igrntiiity for. pay. C Eftr '.preferable to casual wards, Whorel'from the bedclothes'and floorboards ..Crawling things • appear in hordes, • ' V a And on you find their waj\- :: PROGRESS CHECKED. "The : : historian show's that, notwithstanding the progressive spirit,of tho times, a Briton is not permitted, without an effort, to progress according to his own V inclinations, and I would:add that after.a certain ago ho is not permitted, with; effort, to* progress at all. What could I do? Turned, 'away from, tho there was left for me a choice' of two things—suicide, or prison. ■ It is said of two evils, choose tho lessor. I clioso prison, whsre:— , . . "1 should liavo food all through .tho week; On/Thursdays broth and mutton or steak,/ ■No diggings then should -have to;seek, .. 13ut simply; rest content. ' . : .;And willl. it not bo, truly grand : i. -For : hie to. wear... the convict'.band, • j j lAnd. bravely : overy day . to shmd . " ,My well-earned punishment? i "Then when l am released again,' !'. If iii mind and body, I:am saiie, .' : .No' further' wrongs my'.life shall stain,.; ' Qn good, I will be bent. ... Once prison brought me scalding tears, ■ , An aching heart, appalling fears, ' But now I ask, sir, for three years, >-■ And what I ask is meant. "If you Rive me three years with good conduct I shall earn 305., besides having a how suit of clothes to 'appear .decent in when I am discharged/- Then:— - •> "With money, new clothing,'.and-a new. heart, , \ You. see, on my own I can make a new start, • And if soma one but gives mo a donkey and cart,-' . That donkey from this one no mortal can part." , Mr." Wallace said;, that for ' a man with SuCh'gilts " and abilities there'could bo 110 excuse,. as if ho had' applied . his natural gifts in an honest way lie could alwa'ys have earned a living. Ho would have to undergo three years' penal servitude. •• ','Thank you," said Morley, with a smile and a bow, "that s just what I required."