DISPATCH EXTRAORDINARY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3085, 17 May 1881, Page 4

DISPATCH EXTRAORDINARY.

The friend from whom I had the story was, at the time of the occurrence, a barrister's clerk, engaged in the courts of Leinster; so his disposition is to be relied upon. Dear Old Dennis! He has given me many a hearty laugh over his droll adventures and quaint passages in tho Irish courts.

Once upon a time Judge Patterson and Baron Dawson were called upon to travel a judicial circuit in company, in the counties of Longford and Westrneath ; and they had notice that the dockets were heavy. The report of the calendar of Longford astonished them. It would take them a full month, if not more, to make the circuit. And, at the self-same time, they had an invitation to visit the Duchess of N , at her country place in Wicklow. Could they miss tho brilliant company ? Could they lose her grace's old port and Bherry ? Ah! could they ? They thought not. They put their heads together, and thus they worked it, adopting a plan which would hardly be considered safe in later days : Arrived at the court first in session, tho opening was made with full flourish and due

formality, and then the chief-justice called out : " Mr. Registrar, I am going to give tho people in this region a lesson in punctuality. Myself and colleague must bo punctual, and we expect others to be the same. You will call the cases, beginning at the end of the docket?' The registrar could not at first believe that he had heard aright, and he asked to have the order repeated. " Begin at tho end, I say ! Let the last cause on your docket be called first!" Heated and flurried, the astonished officer obeyed. " Maenamara versus Doyle!" called the registrar. " Maenamara versus Doyle !" echoed the crier. There was no response,—as how should there be ? The lawyers in charge of the case, knowing that it was entered the very last in the docket of the court, were not looking for it to come on under several days, at least, and were now quietly engaged in business elsewhere.

" Call the next case—the next from the end !" ordered the court.

"Callahan versus Eagan!" called the registrar; and the crier took up the call, and sent it through the house. But the attorneys for Callahan and Eagan were as innocent of a suspicion of being wanted in court at that hour as was the child unborn.

A few more cases were called, with a like result, and then the chief justice waxed indignant. " Cancel the cause, Mr Registrar !" he ordered. And so he went on ordering, through the long calendar, until finally, in this backward way, they came to the first case on the list. Of course the attorneys in charge of that case were on hand, and waiting. "McCarthy versus O'Toole !" " We are ready, your honor!" " Good ! Go on ! I am thankful for one attentive attorney!" The cause was put on trial ; and as_ the evidence was all one way, it was quickly disposed of. No inquiry was made for the expectant attorneys, who were waiting for their turns to come ; but Judge Patterson proceeded to close, as quickly as possible, for he was determined that he would not take up a cancelled case. The jury were complimented, and thanked, for their prompt attendance, and earnest devotion to business, and then sent about their own affairs. " I declare, Brother Dawson," said Patterson, as the two dodged through into the robing-room, "we have disposed of a vast deal of business in a very short time !" " Aye,—and we shall not disappoint her grace !" added the baron.