Getting at It.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 87

Getting at It.

It is well known that in Judge Haliburton, the author of "Sam Slick," JMova Scotia produced a famous humourist, but the neighbouring colony of Newfoundland had a humourist in the late John H. Boone, who, if without the*- name gained by Haliburton, was quite as great. Boone was a barrister, and took a malicious delight in mystifying the bench; in which attempts his humour was often called into play.

At one time an Italian, who became dissatisfied with his position as a telegraphist, went into trade, gave too much credit, and' came to grief. He engaged Boone in order to be declared insolvent.

"My lord," said Boone, "may it please this honourable court to hear me on be- I half of my client, Mr Tardueci? He comesfrom sunny Italy, my lord, the land of ro- ' mance, science, and glorious literature — ] the home, my lord, of the illustrious ' Michael Angelo and the divine Raphael; j birthplace of Tasso, Axiosto, the immortal j Dante, and the humorous Boccaccio ; the ' prolific mother of art and science, birth- 1 place of Galvani and' the martyr Galilei ! Galileo." • I

After Boone had spoken a little more ir> this strain, the judge began to get restive.

*' What has all this to do crith the ease, sir?" he at last gruffly inquired.

"Merely a few preliminary observations, my lord," was the solemn reply. "My client from sunny Italy, homo of the painter and the sculptor, begs this honourable court to apply to him the very lowest form of pictorial art. My lord, he pra3*s to be whitewashed."