CHAP, x.] LEGAL EXPERIENCES 69 



on two points. One that he was to give me a paper which 

 I accepted, and next that he was to give me some small 

 amount of money, which I also accepted, not knowing 

 whether any other course was open to me. As this was the 

 first (and also last) case of a subpoena being served on me, I 

 do not know whether the immense reticence is part of the 

 business, or whether the server is possibly in danger of bad 

 language or unpleasant treatment, but certainly the visitor 

 appeared very uneasy, and took himself off as soon as 

 possible. On examining the paper I found it called me to 

 give evidence on the side of the defendants, which was 

 a little awkward, as after due investigation of details I found 

 that the entomological circumstances would give the case 

 for the plaintiffs. It ran as follows : 



" In the High Court of Justice between Thomas Wilkin- 

 son, Plaintiff, and The Houghton Main Colliery Company, 

 Limited, Defendants. Victoria, by the Grace of God, of the 

 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, 

 Defender of the Faith, to Miss Eleanor A. Ormerod, of 

 Torrington House, St. Albans, in the County of Herts. 

 Greeting. We command you to attend before our Justices 

 assigned to take the assizes in and for the West Riding 

 Division of the County of York to be holden at Leeds 

 on Wednesday the 24th day of July, 1889, at the hour of 

 ten in the forenoon and so from day to day during the said 

 assizes until the above cause is tried to give evidence on 

 behalf of the Defenders, &c." 



On the back of the document was inscribed (name and 

 address given) that the writ was issued by the London 

 Agents of J. Parker Rhodes, of Rotherham, Yorkshire, 

 defendants' solicitor. I felt myself very unpleasantly 

 situated, more particularly as one of my legal brothers 

 assured me that I should make myself (or be made) quite 

 ridiculous in Court, but I did not see the matter quite in 

 this light, for I was sure of my facts. I explained to the 

 solicitor for the defendants that if put in the witness box I 

 must support the cause of the plaintiff. The case was then 

 withdrawn and costs allowed to the plaintiff. 



Ten years afterwards I was employed by Messrs. Ross T. 

 Smyth and Co., 33, Mark Lane, London, E.G. The case 

 was entered on March 9, 1899, and the matter in question 

 was alleged infestation of a cargo of flour, transmitted from 

 New York, U.S.A., to Durban, S. Africa. I gave evidence 

 on oath here, Torrington House, St. Albans, on October 20, 

 1899, before Mr. E. K. Blyth (of Messrs. Blyth, Dutton, 



