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The Green Bag Demand immediate recall Of such a rank decision. Some rights we can surrender And let some insults pass; But on this point we're tender; The right to be an ass Is ours while runs the water Or grows the verdant grass. SIRIUS SINNICUS.
"Why — why — why, Mr. Naylor, it's a lie." "Then shake," said the young attor ney, extending his hand. A moment later he jumped on his horse and rode away unmolested. COLONIAL SUMPTUARY LAWS
THE FIRST ATTACK (Communicated by William H. Hamby, Chillicothe, Mo.) THE old adage, "the first attack wins half the battle," was proved by the experience of Jerry Naylor. Jerry was the young prosecuting attor ney of a mountain county, and during his first year in office convicted and caused to be sent to the penitentiary Red Dugan, a notorious timber thief. As Red Dugan 's term was about to expire frequent warnings came to the young attorney to be on his guard, as the convict had made threats on his life. Jerry knew that Dugan was a dangerous man and prepared to defend himself. But one day, soon after the ex-con vict had returned home, Jerry went to a neighboring town to try a case. On his return he had to ride through a long stretch of lonely woods, and in the most unfrequented strip of the road he saw Red Dugan standing beside the road with a double barreled shotgun. Jerry, who weighed less than one hundred and twenty-five, was suddenly and acutely conscious that he was entirely unarmed, but he was already too near to turn back. Instead he rode leisurely forward and just when opposite Dugan, sprang from the saddle, and with a suddenly terrible and ferocious voice demanded : — "Red, I hear you threatened to kill me on sight. How about it?" Red suddenly turned pale. His hands shook, and he replied unsteadily: —
THE founders of Boston were thoroughly English in their social traditions. They believed in distinctions of rank. Only a few persons of unques tioned eminence, including ministers and their wives, received the title of Mr. or Mrs. The higher magistrates also took the title, but deputies to the General Court were not honored with it. They, along with the great body of citizens, were dubbed Goodman, and their wives Goodwife. If a Mr. lost his reputation — in those days that followed immediately upon his loss of character — he was degraded to the ra'nk of Goodman. Officers of the church and of the militia received the titles of their rank or office. Servants were not accorded any prefix to their names. They were plain John or James. The distinctions of rank were also preserved by differences in the style and material of dress. But a democratic leaven and a desire for fine clothes were both at work. They soon told upon the manners of the settlers. Within fifteen years from the settle ment of the town, men in humble station began to dress as their betters. The statute-book shows that the magistrates were sorely troubled, both to preserve the traditional distinctions in dress and to keep fashion within the bounds of decorum. A man not worth two hundred pounds was forbidden to wear gold or silver lace, or buttons, or points at the knees. Women whose property did not reach
