it's
_Orkins_, some saying one thing and some another, the train draws
slowly in; a respectful porter, selected for the occasion, opens the
door, and out leaps--Jack.

"Then bursts from the crowd a general murmur. 'There 'e is! See 'im,
Bill!' cries one. 'There's Orkins! See 'im? There 'e is; that's Orkins
behind that there long black devil!'

"He was wrong about the black devil, for it was the Sheriff's
Chaplain, who will preach the Assize Sermon next Sunday in the
Cathedral."

[A somewhat humorous scene once took place at Nottingham. An
indefatigable worker on circuit, Sir Henry seemed to have the
constitution of the Wandering Jew and the energy of radium. No doubt
he had much more patience than was necessary, for it kept him sitting
till the small hours of the morning, and jurors-in-waiting and
attendants were asleep in all directions. He was the only one wide
awake in court.

Even javelin-men fell asleep with their spears in their hands; the
marshal dozed in his chair, ushers leaned against the pillars which
supported the gallery, while witnesses rubbed their eyes and yawned as
they gave their evidence.

A case of trifling importance was proceeding with as steady a pace as
though an empire's fate, instead of a butcher's honour, were involved.
One butcher had slandered another butcher.

The art of advocacy was being exercised between an Irishman and a
Scotchman, which made the English language quite a hotch-potch of
equivocal words and a babel of sounds.

The slander was one that seemed to shake the very foundations of
butcherdom throughout the world--namely, an insinuation that the
plaintiff had sold Australian mutton for Scotch beef; on the face of
it an extraordinary allegation, although it had to find its way for
the interpretation of a jury as to its meaning. Amidst this costly
international wrangle the Judge kept his temper, occasionally cheering
the combatants by saying in an interrogative tone, "Yes?" and in the
meanwhile writing the following on a slip of paper which he handed to
a friend:--

"GREAT PRIZE COMPETITION FOR PATIENCE.

Hawkins First prize.
Job Honourable mention."

Much earlier in the evening an application had been made by way of
finding out how far the Judge "would go," as the man tests the wheels
of an express. Every wheel had a good ring. He was prepared for a long
run. Every case was to be struck out if the parties were not there.

After a while a feelin