rightly--that the hamper in question
contained the remains of the smashables spoken of formerly at some
length, and that it was to be produced in court by the pursuers, as
evidence of the nature and extent of the damage done.

The original idea of bringing forward this article, for the purpose
mentioned, was Mrs. Anderson's; and, having been approved of by her
husband, it had been that morning carted to the court-house, and
thereafter carried to and deposited in its present situation by the
united exertions of the pursuers, who relied greatly on the effect it
would produce when its lid should be thrown open, and the melancholy
spectacle of demolished crockery it concealed exhibited.

The case of Mr. and Mrs. Anderson _versus_ Mr. and Mrs. Callender being
pretty far down in the roll, it was nearly two hours before it was
called. This event, however, at length took place. The names of the
pursuers and defenders resounded through the court room, in the slow,
drawling, nasal-toned voice of the crier. Mrs. Anderson, escorted by her
loving spouse, sailed up the middle of the apartment, and placed herself
before the judge. With no less dignity of manner, and with, at least, an
equal stateliness of step, Mrs. Callender, accompanied by her lord and
master, sailed up after her, and took her place a little to one side.
The parties being thus arranged, proceedings commenced. Mrs. Anderson
was asked to state her case; Mrs. Anderson was not slow to accept the
invitation. She at once began:--

"Ye see, my lord, sir, the matter was just this--and I daur _her_ there"
(a look of intense defiance at Mrs. Callender) "to deny a word, my lord,
sir, o' what I'm gaun to say; although I daur say she wad do't if she
could."

"My good woman," here interposed the judge, who had a nervous
apprehension of the forensic eloquence of such female pleaders as the
one now before him, "will you have the goodness to confine yourself
strictly to a simple statement of your case?"

"Weel, my lord, sir, I will. Ye see, then, the matter is just this."

And Mrs. Anderson forthwith proceeded to detail the particulars of the
quarrel and subsequent encounter, with a minuteness and
circumstantiality which, we fear, the reader would think rather tedious
were we here to repeat. In this statement of her case, Mrs. Anderson,
having the fear of her husband's presence before her eyes, made no
allusion whatever to the nightcaps, but rested the whole quarrel on the
j