Detroit College of Law - Forum Yearbook (Detroit, MI)

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FORUMl Page One Hundred Thirty-three

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the lion recoiled and slunk back to the lFORUM 'S A TOUGH RACKET ITH a determined frown jimmy attempted to quell the song of spring that welled in his heart. For he had resolved to make up some briefs, and when one is so engaged, he can not have songs of spring welling in his heart, or any- thing else. Selecting one of five reports, miraculously smuggled from the library, he settled to his task. Scarcely had the first page been read for the third time when the 'phone rang. Fifteen minutes later Jimmy returned, having firmly but sweetly impressed on one precious mind that occasionally a student must be studious. Five pages later the doorbell temporarily dispelled musings on Cooley's not too laconic wisdom. .-X half hour was consumed in explaining that, while one might be interested in helping fellow students through college, and, incidentally. acquiring three publications that could not fail to improve the mind, still there are pecuniary limitations. This recess necessitated a review of the case. Shortly a pleasant masculine voice was heard upstairs. This is the fXskin lllue Handled .Xxe Hour. broadcast through the courtesy of DCI- from the Collegiate lluilding on the campus. 'H-Xsk for ,'Xskin's Blue Handled Axes. The axe with the handle just a little bluer, and the blade just a little truer. Our first selection will be the l.umber .lack Quartet singing that plaintive melody, 'They Cut Down the Hld l'ine Tree,' by request. Remembering that success spurns those who swerve from a purpose. our hero attained the acme of concentration on the next ten pages. Then his sister, coming in early, was somewhat disturbed by his manner as he rushed out to shoot pool with the boys on the corner, and particularly disturbed by the language he used in reference to the dissenting opinion he had read. XY. K. YBXRSLEY. A PARABLE IN SELF-DEFENSE his honor on the occasion of a recent visit Io Poland, Gilbert K. Chesterton was called upon for a speech. An early Christian martyr, said Ches- terton, stood in the arena awaiting the lions. and he prayed to his God to perform a miracle that would save his life. And liod gave him a divine inspiration. The grating in front of the lions' den was raised and a great tawny beast ap- peared, sniffed the air, shook his mane, roared and bounded toward the awaiting martyr. The Christian stood with folded arms and when the animal drew near was heard to mutter a few words. Immediately far end of the arena where he tranquilly lay down. Nero gave a brief order and the Chris- tian was dragged in front of the imperial lodge, 'VVhat didst thou say? asked the em- peror. 'XYhat magic hast thou used that the king of beasts hath refused to harm thee? 'O Caesarf replied the Christian, 'I said simply to the lion: Have a care what thou doest, fool, for after thou hast eaten they will call upon thee to make a speechf Vlfhereupon G. K. C., without another word, resumed his seat. .-Xrthur Brisbane says: There is plenty of money in the country, the difficulty is to get it! There are times when Arthur reveals a wisdom that is actually uncanny, and this is one of tllt'l'l1.-.Yt ZC' fiJl'fL'tl7lS Xttllvx, The Literary Digest poll may not settle the prohibition question, but it should help solve the postal clefieit.-Tr'oju'ruI Xmtxv. The only time a horse gets frightened on the road nowadays is when he meets an- other liorse.-Clzzrayn Daily Nvztur, The man who has not anything to boast of but his illustrious ancestors is like a potato-the only good belonging to him is underground.-Sir Tlznnzcht OI'Fl'f7IIl'j'. Page One Hundred Thirty-two

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lFORUM THE HAUNTED LIBRARY Of making many laws. I said. there is no end. The road a prospective lawyer travels is hazardous. and in future. he will be unable to reverse judgments if he fails to appropriate now a goodly stock of legal wise saws and instances. XYith this ambitious thought uppermost in my mind I entered the library. It was morning. The drab backs of legal volumes slumbered on the shelves. There was something impressive in the melancholy silence of the library which made me-an otherwise indifferent fellow-'to tread cautiously. Soon I was in the technical labyrinth of a reported case. I did not like it. Justice is not simple. She follows a breathless course: that is the reason they bandaged her eyes. I continued to meditate as I began to copy the head-notes. A slight noise rippled in the heavy silence. It was like the shuffling of a gown. I raised my eyes. I still wonder why the sight did not strike me blind. One of the volumes had grown to gigantic proportions and from between its pages there stepped down a human form enfolded in inky cloak, not unlike the black robe of a judge. The form moved and took a step toward me! Seized with mortal terror and under the violent lashing of contrary emotions, words. long forgotten, leaped to my lips: .-Xvauntl and quit my sight. let the earth hide thee, Thy bones are marrowless. thy blood is cold. Thou hast no speculation in those eyes XYhich thou glare with. 'tYhat followed it is not in human power to describe adequately. :X salvo of tumultuous applause greeted my convulsive words, and the figure, now close to me. said in sepulchral voice: XYell said. with good elocution and feeling. Slipping into a state of semi-consciousness. I looked around like a hounded animal eager to find out the source of the rumbling applause. There, from the grotesquely en- larged legal tomes came forth a legion of judicial ghosts. They were too real to be mistaken for spectres. They seemed to be advancing and maneuvering in endless battalions. Instinctively I looked toward the shelf where Michigan Statutes were. The bulky volumes had assumed the proportions of ramparts and gave out their quota of judge-ghosts. I took refuge behind one of them. XYhat used to be the library of Detroit College of Law now appeared to me a vast landscape teeming with humanity. Perhaps it was the grayish mist that made the ghosts appear in perspective and create the illusion of distance. To my shame I 11111511 confess that my timidity borders on cowardice and now. in the clutch of circumstances that no mortal ever suffered. my thoughts centered on escape. The primeval urge for self-preservation surged within me with all its savage insistence. I turned toward the door. A bailiff. ominous and fearful, guarded it and blocked my XVHV. I looked for a friend and among the Michigan ghosts a face struck me as familiar. Yes. I knew the features. the shaven upper lip and untrimmed beard. It was the face of one of the Smith Brothers of Cough Drop fame. Mr Smith. I queried eagerly. are we in danger? A glowering glance answered me. SIL Smith? Yes, Sir. Are you not one of the Smith Brothers? Smith! Smith Brothers! My name is Thomas Cooley . . . Ah. the deceptive treachery of superficial resemblance! To take the great Justice Cooley for the controller of coughs. Remorse burned my forehead. XYhy. why did I take up law? I should have followed my original inclination and become a porter. Even now, above the dim and dust of this ghastly scene. I saw the dark green uniform and the shining brass buttons of a princely porter. I turned toward where the windows used to be. In the distance, across the way. was a mob of aborigines. Their bodies covered with skins, each armed with a spear, they were so like the barbarians of Hannibal deployed upon an African Flatland ready to attack. They kept up an incessant drumming on two huge tom-toms. Page One Hundred Thirty-four