Jury duty is one of the obligations of citizenship and its highest duty; at the same time it is one of its privileges.  Foreigners and idiots cannot serve.  Doctors, soldiers, journalists, clergymen, and others, besides those who are deaf, blind, or otherwise disabled, are exempted.  The experience of serving on a jury may be annoying but it is broadening and gives an opportunity of seeing human nature in a way that few appreciate.  To serve on a jury is to become a part of the judicial system of the State and for the time being to belong to the governing class.

“All day long,” says the court officer, “they do nothing but grumble and grumble at being kept away from their business but when they get chosen on a case, they realize it does not do any good so they settle down to do what is right.”  The country man may not have much to do and may look on jury duty rather as a diversion or vacation from farm work but the average town man feels the $2 a day he receives is only lunch money compared to the amount he is losing in his business, and so he hates it.

The first warning of trouble that a juryman gets is when he comes home and finds that a policeman has been looking for him.  It is to be hoped that he has a guiltless conscience.  He inquires further and learns it was only a court officer summoning him to court for the trial term next month.  His first concern is to see what can be done in a political way.  If he belongs to the local club of the district—­but here let the curtain be drawn.  Besides he may accomplish very little, so many of the judges do not seem to remember their political obligations.  Then he tries to reach the judge through a friend and when that fails he makes his way resignedly to court on the appointed day.

When he comes there for the first time he smiles at the court attendant and tries to make friends, but the court officer who has been there many times before is not at all susceptible.  Perhaps he hurries around to the judge’s chambers and manages to see the judge’s secretary, who is sympathetic over the fact that the month is December and the busy season of the year in the florist business and that there is only one assistant in the shop, but the judge is busy and will only see him from the bench.  Finally he goes into court and waits for his name to be called.

After the roll call, he goes timidly up to the rail and stands there waiting until his Honor will take notice of him.  His Honor is busy blowing his nose or signing papers.  Finally the court officer points him out.  The judge scowls and asks him what he wants.  Tremblingly he explains his difficulty:  that his business needs him or that his wife is sick and that he will serve any other month if he can be let off now.  The judge reads him a lecture on the duty of citizenship and the responsibility of jury duty and says he is sorry that he can not excuse him.