There was a charming dog case heard on the Croydon
Circuit on Tuesday. Lady Selwyn claimed a dog, a splendid specimen of the Labrador breed, all black but his chest and paws, and with a magnificent head. It was urged by plaintiff that the dog was only two years old. It was in the possession of a Mr. Booth, who alleged, in all sincerity it would appear, that the dog was seven years old, had been been lost by him in 1867, and had since been recovered. Baron Bramwell, who understands big dogs, sug- gested that the dog's evidence .ahould be taken, and the beast being introduced into Court and accommodated, as became his dignity, with a seat on the bench, gave his evidence, we were going to say, like a Christian, but much more discriminatingly than most Christians do. He tolerated Mr. Booth good-naturedly, but when the governess who had fed him at Lady Selwyn's came into Couit, he whined and struggled to get near her. Not being a Christian, he was not expected to tell lies, and was therefore uu- sworn ; but his evidence decided the ownership, and the judge de- cided the damages. He would give 100 for him, he said,—a bit of deliciously irregular and conclusive evidence, The dog on hearing the decision quitted the bench, cut Mr. Booth dead, and ran delightedly up to the governess. He ought to have a vote.
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