MARY'S TONGUE.

NZ Truth, Issue 250, 9 April 1910, Page 6

MARY'S TONGUE.

An Untifean Organ.

There are some persons fated- to appear - m the Police Court m an unpleasant ca— : paeity, and Mary Davies, a weather-beatr, 1 "■ en, middle-aged -woman, who hangs; out m, 'Cferistchuxch, is one 'of them. Mary is the unfortunate possessor of an insanitary tongue that requires occasional dis- j infection m the Police Court, and it I got her into trouble prior to the Easter' holidays. One of her neighbors is James. Stanton (also a familiar figure .m the (court), who suffers from a ghastly flesh protuberance m the vicinity of his eyes. •Mary stopped before the residence of James oft March 9, 'and hurled, invectives of 'blanky- at the demoted occupier. There were ladies m courii when evidence was given of the occurrence, and the shocked witness wrote the swear words down. His memory was phenomenal, and he covered a consMeraMe amount of paper. The clerk (to Marry) : Have you any questions to ask '! ■ Mary (taking a long breath) : What did you call me ? Did-u't you call me an old drunkard ? Didn't you say that I'd" just me back m gaol '>. Didn't you say that mo back m gaof ? Didn't you say that the man (pauses for breath). ; Witness : I didn't. i Mary: Didn't, you say that my daugh- ■ ter was m a home ? , Witness (irinvelintly) : There was a man i m and out of the house.

Mary : No ; there was no man. I was shifting at the time. Magistrate Bishop : What sort of a locality is this ? Statiou-Sergeant Johnston : It's m Martin-street, between Manchester-street and Colombo-street. His Worship : Oh ! Mrs Stanton examined the writing of her husband, and testified that Mary had expelled the lurid expressions mentioned. In fact, there was more than that. It was about eight or nine o'clock at night, and hubby went to the door and asked Mary what right she had to stop there and make remarks. Mary : What did you call me?— l called you nothing. Mary: You did; you said I was nothing but a gaol bird. His Worship : Have you anything to say? Mary : I'm not guilty of all that. His Worship : A little bit of it would be enough. The woman's record was called for wlien it was discovered that she had been convicted of keeping a brothel and of prostitution. "I'll give you one more of a fine," said the Magistrate. "If you come up before me again I'll send you up for a long period." Fined 40s or one month.