What Hie Lady Saw.

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 78

What Hie Lady Saw.

An amusing incident took place reccntlv in a metropolitan police court. The plaintiff, who was a lady, was called to testify. She got on vei-y well, and- made a favourable iinprp^sion on the magistrate under the guidance of her counsel (Mr Brief) uni-il the oj peeing counsel (Mr Smith) subjected her to a sharp cross-examination. This so confused her that she became faint, and fell (o the floor in a swoon. Of course, this excited general sympathy in the audience, and Mr Smith saw that his case looked badly. An expedient suggested itself by v. hich to make, the swooning appear like a pieco of stage tuckeiy, and thus destroy sympathy for 'her. The lady'.s face in swooning had turned purple-red, and this fact suggested a new line of attack, a tie next witness was a middle-aged lady. The counsel asked:

" Dkl yoti see the plaintiff faint a short time ago. madam?"

"Yes, =ir." "People genordllv turn pale wlien they faint, do they no&'i'*

Gri»a< S'Pnsstion in court, and e\idcn f eoft-in-iou of witnr.-o. But m a moment she an Bwe red : " No. not always." "Did you ever hear of a ca=e of fainting wlm re Ihp paity did not turn pale: "Yes, sir." "Did jou e\er see such a ra&e?" "Yes." sir."

"When?" "About a year ago." "Where was it?" "In this neighbourhood."

"Who was it?"

By this time the excitement was «o intense that everybody Lstcncd anMou^v for tho reply. It came promptly, with a twinkle in the witness's cjes and a tremor of her lips, as if from sup2>rcssed humour: "It was a negro, sir." ,

JHidnigrht.

There have bee a many devices hit upon for showing tl.a lime by watch or clock in a room that is dark : but a German profc c i-or has now contrived something in that directioi that; is certainly novel. The accompanying p-CAire shows the principle of it. A senu-tiansparent dial is mounted

with an elecfric light behind it. The I^ghfc being switched on, ihe shadows of the numerals and the moving hands on the dial arc projected on to the ceiling of the room, and as those shadows, its we see, are greatly enlarged, the time can easily be read by glancing at the ceiling. As will be noticed, the rays of light are not diffused about the apartment; and as the dial is not transparent, there is no r^ai glare even in tb.3 ar?a. that is illuminated.