Wanted To Change One Word

I'rivate John Allen, of Mississippi, had a case in the supreme court tne other day, says a Washing-ton correspondent of the Louisville CourierJournal. It had been drayging along for a good while in the lower tribunals and uhen it was reached in the higher body the opposing counsel presented a brief history of the cause so far as it had gone. The justices had listened attentively to the lawyer, andwhenhe had finished Mr. Allen was asked if the opposing counsel had stated what was strictly true. "If jour honors please," said the astute Mississippian, "1 can best answer the question with a little story. Some time ago a sheriff of one of the counties in my state died. There was another gentleman residing in the county who thought he could fill the ofiicial shoes of the deceased to a nicety, so he procceded to draw up a recommendation in his own behalf for appointment to the vacancy and thensecured his neighborB' signatures to it. He recited in the document his numerous qualifications for the position, and stated, among other things, that 'Mr. Jones was strictly honest.' He carried the paper to old Judge Smith and asked him to sign it. "The judge put on his specs and carefully read the paper over. Then he coughed and said: " 'Jones, ril sign this here recommendation if you'll let me change one word in it.' "Jones glowed with satisfaction, for the judge's signature was a power in the preniises. " 'Cert'ny, judge, cert'ny,' hecordially remarked. 'One word can't hurt the paper. Now, what word would you like to change, sir?' " 'Well,' replied the judge, 'I just want to scratch out the word 'strictly' where it precedes honest and insert the word 'tolerably.'" The grave justices laughed and the case went on.