After examining him, I said with a polite bow:  “Mr. Warren, I owe you an apology for bringing you into the Probate Court.  I am sure no one will ever dream of disputing your will, because you have left everybody ‘Ten Thousand a Year!’”

Whereupon Warren bowed most politely to me in acknowledgment of the compliment; then bowed to the Judge, and received his lordship’s bow in return; then bowed to the jury, then to the Bar, and, lastly, to the gallery.

Writing of the Probate and Divorce Court reminds me of a curious application for the postponement of a trial made by George Brown, who was as good a humorist as he was a lawyer.

I have said that Judges in those days were more strict in refusing these applications than in ours, and Cresswell was no exception to the rule.  He disliked them, and rarely yielded.  But Brown was a man of a very persuasive manner, and it was always difficult to refuse him anything.  I was sitting in Cresswell’s court when George rose as soon as the Judge had taken his seat, and asked if a case might be postponed which would be in the next day’s list.

“Have you an affidavit, Mr. Brown, as to the reason?”

“Yes, my lord; but I can hardly put the real ground of my application into the affidavit.  I have communicated with the other side, and they are perfectly agreeable under the circumstances.”

“I cannot agree to postpone without some adequate cause being stated,” said Cresswell.

“I am very sorry, my lord, but it will be very inconvenient to me to be here to-morrow.”

There was a laugh round the Bar, which Cresswell observing, asked what the real reason was.

Brown smiled and blushed; nothing would bring him to state plainly what the reason of his application was.  At last, however, he stammered,—­

“My lord, the fact is I am going to take the first step towards a divorce.”

The appeal touched the Judge; the reason was sufficient.  Every step in a divorce was to be encouraged, especially the first.  The application was granted, and Brown was married the next day.

CHAPTER XX.

THE BRIGHTON CARD-SHARPING CASE.

From the courts of justice to the prize-ring is an easy and sometimes pleasant transition, especially in books.  I visited from time to time such well-known persons as “Deaf Burke,” Nat Langham, “Dutch Sam,” and Owen Swift, all remarkable men, with constitutions of iron, and made like perfect models of humanity.  Their names are unknown in these days, although in those of the long past gentlemen of the first position were proud of their acquaintance; and these men, although their profession was battering one another, were as little inclined to brutality as any.  And when it is remembered that they played their game in accordance with strict rules and on the most scientific principles, it will be seen that cruelty formed no part of their character.