"
"Why, don't you remember that you got me a new baize?"
"No; I ordered a dozen new baizes at that time, but I do not remember
who they were for."
There was a pause; the disappointed complainant seemed not to know what
to do.
"I will tell you what to do. Bring the case into court, and I will try
it regularly."
"Why, Mr. B., I do not like to do any thing like that about it; besides,
I do not know how to write an indictment."
"Oh," I answered, "the scholars will like to have a good trial, and this
will make a new sort of case. All our cases thus far have been for
_offenses_--that is what they call criminal cases--and this will be only
an examination of the conflicting claims of two individuals to the same
property, and it will excite a good deal of interest. I think you had
better bring it into court."
She went slowly and thoughtfully to her seat, and presently returned
with an indictment.
"Mr. B., is this right?"
It was as follows:
I accuse Miss A.B. of coming to take away my seat--the one Mr. B. gave
me.
Witnesses, { C.D.
{ E.T.
"Why--yes--that will do; and yet it is not exactly right. You see this
is what they call a _civil_ case."
"I don't think it is very _civil_."
"No, I don't mean it was civil to take your seat, but this is not a case
where a person is prosecuted for having done any thing wrong."
The plaintiff looked a little perplexed, as if she could not understand
how it could be otherwise than wrong for a girl to usurp her seat.
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