HOW THE SERGEANT WON HIS CASE.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2663, 9 June 1908, Page 7

HOW THE SERGEANT WON HIS CASE.

,One of the most famous of breach of promise lawyers was Mr. Sergeant Wilkins. He once defended a case in which his client was a little, ugly man. The sergeant said he would "bounce" it through. "Gentlemen of the jury," he exclaimed at the close of a most eloquent speech, "you have heard the evidence of the plaintiff; gentlemen of the jury, you have admired that most bewitching lady, the plaintiff herself ; gentlemen, do yo«l' believe that this enchanting, this fascinating, this accomplished lady would tySiftne moment favour the advances, or listen with anything but scorn to the amorous protestations of the wretched and repulsive and deformed defendant ?"

Here his client looked up from the well of the court and pitcously murmured, "Mr. Sergeant Wilkins ! Oh, don't, Mr. Sergeant Wilkins !" "Silence, sir," replied the sergeant in a wrathful undertone. " Gentlemen," he" continued, bringin|»rhis fist down heavily the table before him, "do you think that this lovely lady, this fair and smiling creature, would ever have permitted an offer of marriage to be made to her by this miserable atom of humanity, this stunted creature, who would have to £tand on a sheet of notepaper to look over twopenca ?" Instant verdict for defendant.— "Express."