about, both on account of the novelty of the
institution and the opportunity for refreshment and amusement. The aim
of the judges was to incite the disputants to continue their disputes
instead of trying to pacify them.

The more vociferous they grew, the more noisy and passionate they
became, the better the crowds were held who came to observe the
performance. It was upon this clientele and the sale to them of viands
and comestibles during the dispute that the profits of the judges
depended. So long as there was a serious and energetic struggle the
spectators remained at the adjacent tables and trade was brisk.
Whenever, however, the litigants came to a full realization of the
absurdity of their position, either by the continued laughter of the
spectators at the public airing of their private wrongs with which the
public had nothing to do, or becoming tired of mere words and came to
diminish the ardor of their combat, the crowd would begin to dwindle
away. The judges quick to understand the loss of trade after vainly
trying to induce the litigants to new efforts, would gently and
suggestively push under their hands a pair of dice boxes or a pack of
cards and the dispute would sometimes end upon the throw of a die or
the turn of a card.

The reason that these court cafes have not long remained in vogue, was
that all actual litigants soon became so sophisticated as they
realized the enormity of the position and how unreasonable their
conduct seemed to the average man. Public sentiment was naturally
against such a waste of time and real performers became scarce.
Several of the courts were detected in hiring false litigants as
actors so as to draw the crowds. The performance not being genuine
soon lost its interest. The patrons left them and many courts became
bankrupt. So like their predecessors, those light-minded courts have
practically ended.

THE END

* * * * *

Justice to All

The Story of the Pennsylvania State Police

By
Katharine Mayo

Introduction by
Theodore Roosevelt

8th. Illustrated. $2.50

Theodore Roosevelt says: "It is a book so interesting and so valuable
that it should be in every public library and every school library in
the land." This State Constabulary in its romantic career has hunted
down crime, made raids into "Black Hand" strongholds, protected lives
and property from mob violence, and always risen to every emergency
where nerve and