"Now, Mr. Sniffle," interrupted the Squire with great dignity, "will you proceed in your own way, to give to the gentlemen of this Grand Jury _the names_ of the persons who were thus engaged not only in violating the statute law of Missouri, but in violating the law of God by desecrating the holy Sabbath?" "Well, Squire," continued the witness, slowly counting off on his fingers, "thar was Levi Myers, Sammy Hocum, Moss Johnson, Josiah Davis,"--"Suspend, Mr. Sniffle, _suspend,"_ commanded the Squire with great indignation, and turning to his official associates, he continued, "I am aware, gentlemen of the Grand Jury, that my son Josiah is sometimes present when cards are being played, but he assures me on his honor as a gentleman, that he never _takes part,_ and doesn't even know one card from another. Now, Mr. Witness, do you undertake, under the solemn sanction of an oath, to say that my son Josiah was _engaged_ in the game? By the way, Mr. Sniffle, do you understand the nature of an oath?" "No, Squire," slowly replied the witness, "I dun know as I do." "Don't you know _what will become of you,_ Ranze, if you swear to a lie?" quickly asked a juryman from a back seat. "Yas, in course, if I swar to a lie, they'll send me to the penitentiary, and then I'll go to hell afterwards," replied Mr. Sniffle. The _competency_ of the witness thus appearing, the foreman proceeded: "Now, Mr. Sniffle, do you, under the solemn sanction of an oath, undertake to say that my son Josiah was _engaged_ in that game?" "I dun know as I adzackly understand the meanin' of bein' engaged in the game; but I seed Josiah a-dealin' the papes, when his time come to fling a card he flung it, and uv'ry now and then, _he rech out and drug in the chicerokum._ I dun know as I adzackly understand 'bout bein' engaged in the game, but if _that_ were bein' engaged, then Josiah were _engaged!"_ JOHN RANDOLPH OF ROANOKE Seldom have more significant words been uttered than those of John Randolph of Roanoke, when told that a certain man had been denouncing him. "Denouncing me," replied Randolph, with astonishment, "that is strange, _I never did him a favor."_ The voice of but one John Randolph of Roanoke has mingled in the contentions of the Great Hall. That was no cause for regret, as for a lifetime he was the dread of political foes and friends alike. A colleague from "the valley" probably remembered him well to the last. That colleague, recently elected to fill a vacancy caused by the death of a member of long service, signalized his entrance into the House by an unprovoked attack upon Mr. Randolph. The latter, from his seat near by, listened with apparent unconcern to the fierce personal assault. To the surprise of all, no immediate reply was made to the speech, and the new member flattered himself, no doubt, that the "grim sage" was for once completely unhorsed.