BEFORE THE BENCH. 109 



you jump in my cart, and 111 drive you over 

 to the Bench/' 



After Andrews' master had laid his com- 

 plaint against him, and just as he was asked 

 what he had to say for himself, up jumps 

 the dealer, and says, " I beg your worship's 

 pardon for being so bold, but maybe you'd 

 not sentence him till I've said a word." 

 "To be sure not," said the chairman ; "if 

 you're a witness, let us hear what you have 

 to say; but he said he had no witnesses." 

 " "Why," says the dealer, edging up along- 

 side the prisoner, "I don't know that I've 

 much to say for him ; but I want to lay a 

 complaint against his master for selling short 

 weight, and so robbing people and making 

 his servants thieves." " Stand down," said 

 his worship ; " that has nothing to do with 

 this case ;" and then there was a bit of whis- 

 pering among the magistrates, and laying 

 their heads together, and then the chairman 

 told the constable to take Andrews down, 

 for sentence was put off a little. There was 

 no other case, and then the dealer had his 

 say, and told all about the coals he had had 

 in, and how short weight they were ; and 

 he wanted the justices to tell him what he 



