Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1896 — WANTED THE USUAL FEE. [ARTICLE]

WANTED THE USUAL FEE.

Witness Would Not Interpret Chinook to Pl'feasA the Lawyer. A good story was told lately of Com*modore March* of March’s Point, Fidalgo Island, whose ready wit is Well known to the habitues of the Hotel Butler; all over the Sound. The Commodore was called as a witness in the Point Roberts dispute between the cannery meh and the Indians, and the lawyer on the other side, with a “what-ean-you-know-about-itair,” put the question to him: > “How long have you been in this part of the country, Mr. March?” Mr. March has a pretty chin, and be shaves his white whiskers to each side to show it off. When the question was so suddenly put, he softly caressed the pretty chin and slowly and meditatively said, as to himself: “Forty, forty-five, fifty,” and at length answered: “Fifty-five years.” • “Fifty-five years!” said the lawyer, and then, as if he were addressing Christopher Columbus, asked: “And what did you discover, Mr. March?’’ “A dark-visaged savage.” “A dark-visaged savage, eh? Yes; and what did you say to him?” ’“I said it was a fine day.” “Fine day?, Yes, and what did he say to you?” Mr. March rattled off a whole yarn in Chinook, and kept on, to the mirth of the whole courtroom, until peremp-torily-cut off by the gavel of the Judge. “I asked you what reply the savage made to you, Mr. March. Please answer the question,” said the irate crossexaminer. “I was answering.” “Tell us wliat the savage said.” “That was what he said.” ‘Then tell it to us in English.” “Not unless I am commissioned 'by the Court tp act as interpreter and paid the customary fee.” The lawyer thought a moment, looked at the Judge, who could not resist a smile, and said severely, “Mr. March, you may stand down.”—Seattle Post Intelligencer.