nd Judge Sleepyhorn
is about to hold high court. Maria and the companions of her cell are
arraigned, some black, others white, all before so august a judge. His
eye rests on a pale and dejected woman inwardly resolved to meet her
fate, calm and resolute. It is to her the last struggle of an eventful
life, and she is resolved to meet it with womanly fortitude.

The Judge takes his seat, looks very grave, and condescends to say there
is a big docket to be disposed of this morning. "Crime seems to increase
in the city," he says, bowing to Mr. Seargent Stubbs.

"If your Honor will look at that," Mr. Stubbs says, smiling,--"most on
em's bin up afore. All hard cases, they is."

"If yeer Onher plases, might a woman o' my standin' say a woord in her
own difince? Sure its only a woord, Judge, an beein a dacent gintleman
ye'd not refuse me the likes."

"Silence, there!" ejaculates Mr. Seargent Stubbs; "you must keep quiet
in court."

"Faith its not the likes o' you'd keep me aisy, Mr. Stubbs. Do yee see
that now?" returns the woman, menacingly. She is a turbulent daughter of
the Emerald Isle, full five feet nine inches, of broad bare feet, with a
very black eye, and much in want of raiment.

"The most corrigible case what comes to this court," says Mr. Stubbs,
bowing knowingly to the judge. "Rather likes a prison, yer Honor. Bin up
nine times a month. A dear customer to the state."

The Judge, looking grave, and casting his eye learnedly over the pages
of a ponderous statute book, inquires of Mr. Seargent Stubbs what the
charge is.

"Disturbed the hole neighborhood. A fight atween the Donahues, yer
Honor."

"Dorn't believe a woord of it, yeer Onher. Sure, din't Donahue black the
eye o' me, and sphil the whisky too? Bad luck to Donahue, says I. You
don't say that to me, says he. I'd say it to the divil, says I. Take
that! says Donahue." Here Mrs. Donahue points to her eye, and brings
down even the dignity of the court.

"In order to preserve peace between you and Donahue," says his Honor,
good naturedly, "I shall fine you ten dollars, or twenty days."

"Let it go at twenty days," replies Mrs. Donahue, complimenting his
Honor's high character, "fir a divil o' ten dollars have I." And Mrs.
Donahue resigns herself to the tender mercies of Mr. Seargent Stubbs,
who removes her out of court.

A dozen or more delinquent negroes, for being out after hours without
passes, are sentenced thirty stripes apiece, and removed, to