TAKING SILK.

NZ Truth, Issue 105, 22 June 1907, Page 6

TAKING SILK.

The Swearing-in of the K.C's.

It was a dank, depressing circumstance was the swearing-in of Joynt, and Stringer as King's Counsel at Christbhoiroh. The room was enshrouded as though by a funeral pall, mostly black robe; and .those who turned up to see a new sort of circus were grossly disappointed. There was no em/broidery. about it, and the silk gowns that were supposed to be worn weren't m evidence as they hadn't come black from the wash. The Court was packed with assorted humanity; including a, large number, of lesser K.C.'s— corrimon caterpillars on the tree /of law. Old man Joynt appeared to foe right out of joynt, but Tommy Stringer wore a smile like" the first cut out of a leg of mutton. Jud^e Chapman was solemn and pathetic, and would have given any owl ten yards m a 'hundred for stolidity of countenance. Registrar Bloxam was the only person who looked as if he didn't care a. 'dam. When the accused were 'brought forward, they both pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against them ;• there was obviously nochance of them getting out of it. So they gurgled out the old time silly. English oath, that 'was framed far back about the days when George tlie third- expressed 'unbounded surprise as to. how the. dumplings came to get into thb pudding. Scarcely a soul breathed when that wonderful oath was recited, child-like by the Joynt and several parties, and when they' arrived at th© sentence m which they promised to : act according to their cunniing, there were dozens present would like to have laughed, but daren't.; not even the chandelier above moved. Had a dog feloniously entered the chamber just then and barked derisively it would have been a relief ; something could, then be laughed at ; but nothing happened. Jn- finding both accused guilty, Judge Chapman spoke m a voice like cold pie ; the pair met their doom m slow measured^ sentences. Chapman is a fair stringer together of conventional platitudes, and,> he babbled on m ia. gushing? waVj,. winding up by remarking that 'Joynt would be boss guinea-raker m Maoriland after the Attorney-General and the So-licitor-General. So h© comes m a good third, and the prize is %at the rest of the legal luminaries will have to clean his boots.* The ceremony closed right here, and- the congregation dispersed.