Further testimony in behalf of the plaintiff was offered by another lady, whose countenance expressed second-girl as unmistakably as that of the plaintiff expressed cook. She was of the dish-faced Irish type, and whereas the cook was of an Old-World robustness, her witness had the pallor and flat-chestedness of the women of her race who are born in America; she preferred several shades of blue in her costume, which was of ready-made and marked-down effect. This lady with difficulty comprehended the questions intended to elicit her name and the fact of her acquaintance with the plaintiff, and I noticed a like density of understanding in most of the other persons testifying or arraigned in this court. In fact, I came to wonder if the thick-headedness of average uneducated people was not much greater than I had hitherto suspected, in my easy optimism. It was certainly inconceivable why, with intelligence enough to come in when it rained, the cook should have summoned this witness. She testified at once that she had not seen the assault, and did not know that the cook had been hurt; and no prompting of the plaintiff’s counsel could inspire her with a better recollection. In the hands of the defendant’s lawyer she developed the fact that his client was reputed a quiet, inoffensive boarder, and that she never knew of any displeasures between him and the cook. “Did you ever see this lady intoxicated?” inquired the lawyer. The witness reflected. “I don’t understand you,” she answered, finally. “Have you ever known her to be overcome by drink?” The witness considered this point also, and in due time gave it up, and turned a face of blank appeal upon the judge, who came to her rescue. “Does she drink,--drink liquor? Does she get drunk?” “_Oh!_ Oh, yes; she’s tipsy sometimes.” “Was she tipsy,” asked the lawyer, “on the day of the alleged assault?” The witness again turned to the magistrate for help. “Was she tipsy on the day when she says this gentleman struck her with a chair, and threw the pitcher at her head?” “Yes, sir,” replied the witness, “she was.” “Was she very tipsy?” the lawyer pursued. The witness was equal to this question. “Well, yes, sir, she was. Any way, she hadn’t left anything in the bottle on her bureau.” “When did you see the bottle full?” “The night before. Or in the evening. She commenced drinking in the night.” “What was in the bottle?” “A pint of whiskey.” “That will do,” said the lawyer.