Going Easy On Jim

I ivas talkiing wíth a lawyer ia liis office in ane of the mountain vlllages whenthe dooT opened and a typical nativa entered. He looked sharply at me, nodded to the lawyer, and sat fewn on a ohair wii bis shotgun on bis knees. 'Welü, Jim," saiid the lawyer aiter a bit, 'can I dio anything for you tíolay ?" "Reckon yo' kin," replied Jim. "What is tt ?" "There's gwiue to be a llaw Buit yere to-day, and yo' ar' fur the plaintfiff - Tom Bose." "Oh, yes. Yes, the suit is n tod)ay. Are you a witmess, Jim ?" "I ar', sah ; I'm a witmess lur the defendant- Sam Keiler." "I see." "Wald, it'll be this way. Wíien I feit on the stand yo'ia ax me lots of questíons." "I'll certainiy ask you a few, Jim. Is that wnat's babherimg you ? "Jest that, eah. I' ve heard yo' axitn' other men, and I thought we might as wOU hev a leetle iinderstandim' befo' I went on the stand." "I see. Whatt dio you propose ?'' "If yo' should ax me ií I was ever in the raoonshine biznesa I'd feel tliat I orter her a pop at yo' with this guin," '■Well, I %von't ask that." "Gwtoo to eay I don't pay my debts ?" "No." "Gwkue to cali me a liar." "No." "Gwime ter say thiat if I ehawed less terbacker and drunk less whisky the ole woman would hev mo' shoes?" "Of cO'UTse not." "Hain't gTvine ter say I was mixed up in hawg case and iikewise had a law suit over a bline mewl ?" "I don't thdnk it will be at all neoessary." 'Well, thiat's all I wanted to know," said Jim, as he rose to go. 'It's best to talk these thdogs over. If yo was gwiine to pitch inter me and rtp me up the back I thought I'd snoot yo' yere in the office, but if yo' was gwine to sliide along and go easy j. wcralüa't waste any powder !" I attended the suit that afternoon with the iawyer, and when Jim took the stand he wasn't asked a hard questiion. ín íact he got off so easy that he carne and shaok handa wlith me and eaid : "It'll be a surprise to the ole tornan. Bhe reckoned I'd nev to shoot that laiívyer ehore, and she reckoned I'd better do it without wastin' amy