“Joe was sent up about two hundred and fifty feet, and there being a strong wind at the time, he was carried over onto the center of the city, and fell through the roof of a jewelry store. [Illustration] “After passing down through three stories of the building, he struck on his feet, by the side of the proprietor of the concern, who demanded five hundred dollars for the damages done to his building. “‘I can’t pay so much money,’ said Joe, ‘but i will give you two hundred and fifty, _and I have often settled for this price before_.’” “Bully for Joe French,” said one of the “Owls.” “But let me tell you a little story about an attorney by the name of Gersh’ Buckley, who practiced law at Burlington, Iowa, a few years ago. “Gersh had a case, in the county court, which he lost, and in settling with his client was charged by the other attorney with taking less than the customary fees. “Gersh plead quietly to the charge. ‘But, gentlemen,’ said he, ‘_I done all in my power to sustain the honor of the profession, I took all the money the man had_.’” At this point, one of the “Owls,” more noted for his gravity than any of the rest, mounted his perch, and begged to be heard, as follows: “Talking about steamboats reminds me of a circumstance which occurred on the lower Mississippi, in the year 1840. I had been down to New Orleans and was on my return, having taken passage on the fast side-wheel steamer, Fanny Birch. “Twenty-five miles up the river we overtook the Memphis Belle, an opposition boat, just leaving a woodyard. Rosin and pine was soon the order ov exercises, and both boats were quickly side by side in a close-contested race. “Suddenly word was passed along the boat, ‘Man overboard!’ “The captain, rushing aft, inquired of the clerk if the man had paid his passage. “‘Yes!’ shouted the clerk. “‘Then go ahead on her, engineer!’ was the captain’s order.” “Owl” number five plumed his feathers and opened his short but silvery-toned beak, as follows: “Out in Nevada, during a race week, a rider was thrown from a horse and taken up insensible. As he lay on a stretcher near the judges’ stand many wagers were made among the sporting fraternity present, upon his death or recovery. “A surgeon present proposed to bleed the boy, but the gamblers interposed, for, they said, it would seriously _affect the fairness of the bets_.” “I don’t believe that story,” said “Owl” Number Six: “but here is one which has been in our family for over forty years, and we all know it to be true: “An old gentleman--who, by the way, was almost entirely deaf, had brought a suit against one of his neighbors, claiming certain damages. The case was one which the justice thought ought not to go to a jury, but should be settled between the parties. He therefore instructed the attorney to ask the old gentleman what he would take to settle the suit. The lawyer, putting his mouth near the deaf man’s ear, said, in a loud tone: