A Hard Case.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 156, 30 May 1884, Page 2

A Hard Case.

Thus pleaded a young man who was called upon to show cause why he should not be committed to jail for neglecting to comply with an order of Court; for payment of a debt: — "I am a youug man, it's true, but I have a wife and six children tojkeep. if you divide my wages into eight parts there is 3s 6d a woek for each mouth. Trade is slack. I owe; money to two doctors, one undertaker, and this baker. lam sometimes out of work for three weeks and a month together." " But, my good mail," said si learned counsel, "you can't expect to feed your children on other people's bread, to put your dead m other folk's coffins, or make your sick swallow other men's physic." " Well," said the judgement debtor, " of many evils it is wisdom to choose ! the least. I can't pay. I try to live even l>y bread alone. I should not have known the undenakor if I had not to got so much physic." " Stand down, my good man," said the lawyer; and the magistrate adjourned the case for a month. Poor married num., with eight mouths to feed, and sued by the doctor, the baker, and the undertaker !