During  the  recess  at  noon  he  sent  an  officer
of  the  court  out  for  a  pint  bottle  of  brandy
and  a  loaf  of  bread.  These  the  shrewd  coun
selor  carried  into  a  vacant  room.  Breaking
the  loaf  of  bread  in  two,  he  poured  into  each
piece  as  much  of  the  liquor  as  it  would  hold
and  absorb,  which  practically  drained  the  bot
tle.  Then  he  nonchalantly  ate  the  brandy-
soaked  bread  and  thus  secured  the  stimulating
effects  he  craved  quite  as  easily  as  he  would
have  done  by  literally  drinking  the  liquor.
The  counsel  on  the  other  side  had  finished
his  argument  just  before  the  noon  recess.
When  the  court  reconvened,  Mr.  Choate  rose
and  began  his  address  to  the  jury.  Flimsy
and  weak  though  his  case  w?as,  so  far  as  the
testimony  of  witnesses  was  concerned,  Mr.
Choate,  with  matchless  sophistries,  humorous
and  pathetic  anecdotes  and  bewitching  logic,
completely  captured  the  sympathies  of  every
riveted  juror.  In  less  than  a  quarter  of  an
343


The  Bo-^-Lcgged  Ghost

hour  after  the  judge  had  delivered  a  brief
charge,  a  verdict  was  rendered  in  favor  of
Mr.  Choate's  client.
"  I  congratulate  you,"  said  Mr.  Meeker,  a
little  later,  extending  his  hand  to  the  great
lawyer.  ' '  You  tried  my  case  better  than  any
man  in  the  United  States  could  have  done.
Didn't  I  maintain  that  you  could  get  along
twice  as  well  without  using  that  vile,  nasty
liquor?  I  am  glad  to  pay  you  your  counsel
fees  in  full.  Ah,  Mr.  Choate,  didn't  I  tell  you
we  should  win  the  case  if  you  did  not  drink  ? ' '

"You  did,"  replied  the  advocate,  dryly.
