well where there ain't any, as where there is plenty of them?"

"They call me Judge Fitzhugh."

"Well, I'd half a mind to thrash you just now, but that's past. Do you think I can learn to catch trout with one of those things you call a fly?"

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"Yes," said the judge, "go with me awhile and I'll give you a lesson."

Accordingly the man accompanied the judge for some time, watching the skillfully thrown line with its darting fly, now alighting on the edge of a swift whirling eddy, now skipping over the bright, swift ripples, now floating on the smooth current or gyrating "like a strong swimmer in his agony," tempting the shy tenants of the brook to spring at the glittering insect above them, only to find themselves caught full surely by the fatal snare.

The man lingered until the judge's basket was nearly filled, then, with admiration glowing on his features, he exclaimed, "Judge, that's a big game between you and those trout, and a pretty one, too; damn me if you don't get the best of it, though. I'm done with angle-worms after this. Good-bye ;" and the fisherman's form was soon lost in the forest.

Some time during the ensuing winter, Fitzhugh received a splendid saddle of venison from some unknown person. It was neatly packed in a basket. On removing the cover, a paper was discovered, on which was written the following:

"From the fellow that don't fish for trout with angle-worms any more, but goes it strong on the fly."

Love of raillery was a strong feature in the character of Judge Fitzhugh, and he was remarkable for his quick and happy repartees. One morning during the sittings of the Common Pleas, he was at breakfast at one of the hotels in Geneseo. Among those at the table was a lawyer, noted for his very large mouth and his unceasing garrulity. During a pompous display of words, one of the waiters, while passing his chair,

unfortunately stumbled, and a large cup filled with coffee was lodged on the lawyer's head, deluging it with the hot fluid. Frightened and blinded he sprang to his feet, nearly overturning the table.

"La-land-landlord! for God's sake, come here! Where in h-ll did this kettle of hot water come from? Get it off! get it off!" he roared, whirling about the room like Polypheme deprived of his single eye.

The landlord and several waiters rushed to his assistance, with towels and dry cloths. After considerable wiping and rubbing, it was ascertained that he had sustained but little injury, being much more frightened than hurt, and he was soon seated at the table again.

"What a miserable piece of carelessness that was," said he.

"You might have avoided that accident yourself," said Fitzhugh.

"I should like to know how?" asked the lawyer. "By opening your mouth when the cup fell. Neither coffee nor cup would have been heard of again, if you had," was the answer.

This reply "set the table in a roar.” The lawyer joined in the merriment, his big mouth enabling him to be heard over all the rest present.

The liberality of Judge Fitzhugh was proverbial. His generosity was unstudied and disinterested. He bestowed his charities in such a manner that his right hand did not know of the doings of his left; and his humane nature often exhibited itself in the most ludicrous manner. He once owned a valuable timber lot, adjoining which was another, owned by the late Judge Carrol. One day Fitzhugh received notice that a man had been cutting timber on his lot. Now, stealing timber from Judge Carrol was almost a matter of course. The former, however, was highly indignant at the larceny committed on his timber, and he immediately caused a warrant to be issued for the arrest of

the timber thief. In due time the constable, with the culprit, appeared at Fitzhugh's office.

"You scoundrel," said the judge, stroking back his long black hair, and fixing his piercing eyes upon the man, "how dare you steal my timber? I'll send you where you won't see a tree again for a year! What have you got to say for yourself?"

"I-I-did-didn't mean to cut your timber,

Judge."

"Didn't mean to cut my timber!" roared the judge. "What the devil did you mean to do?" "I-I-thought-I thought-"

"Well, sir, what did you think, you rascal?" said Fitzhugh, growing wrathy every moment.

"I thought it was Judge Carrol's timber that I was cutting," said the man, bursting into tears, and trembling with terror.

Fitzhugh walked the office floor a moment without uttering a word. Finally he halted in front of the prisoner, and taking a five-dollar bill from his pocket, handed it to the fellow, saying:

"Here, take that, damn you, and the next time see that you get on to the right lot."

He then ordered the man to be discharged from arrest, and paid the cost of the proceedings himself.

JOSEPH L. RICHARDSON.

His Memory intimately connected with the History of Cayuga County.-His Associates at the Bar.-Characteristics as a Lawyer.-The Effect of an Increase of Precedents upon the Profession.-The Training and Culture of Lawyers.-The Old Court of Chancery.-Lawyers who Reason and Study.-Those who Never Reason and Never Study.-All Professions Have Superficial Members who would regard Archimedes as Weak, and Newton Foolish.-Richardson as a Private Citizen.-Anecdote.-Richardson and the Church Meeting.-His Manner of Construing the Call Turns the Tables.-Daniel Kellogg.-Richardson is Appointed District-Attorney for Several Counties.-Manner of Discharging the Duties of his Office.-The Singular and Interesting Case of the People v. Bishop.-Richard Jameson.-The Journey by Moonlight through the Forest.-The Attack of the Robber.-Your Money, and be Quick about it.-The Conflict.-The Robbery.— Escape of the Robber.-The Pursuit.-The Arrest.-The Trial.-Elisha Williams. Singular Discovery of the Robber's Shoe.-The Conviction of the Robber. -Richardson Retires from the Office of District-Attorney.-The Survivors of the Old Auburn Bar.-Richardson Appointed First Judge of Cayuga County.-Character as a Judge.-Negro Bill.-The Sentence.-Personal Appearance of Judge Richardson.-His Religious Character.-His Death.

THE name of Joseph L. Richardson is intimately connected with the history of Cayuga county. He was one of the earliest and most eminent members of its bar-one of its most incorruptible, impartial, and efficient judges. At the bar, or on the bench, he was most conscientious-a man of strict integrity—of a profound and comprehensive mind-a lawyer of the old school-the compeer of Platt, Marcy, Tompkins, Root, Van Ness, Williams, Noxon and Jewett. As the lawyer or the judge, he cast a quick penetrating glance over the facts and law in the case, then drew his conclusions with a logical precision for which he was distinguished.

Slenderly furnished with fancy or imagination, and wanting in originality, he was more capable of following a train of reasoning, of expounding the theo

ries of others, and pursuing them to their legitimate consequences, than of striking out new theories for himself. Hence, he was able to perform much mental labor, though while he was at the bar, that multitude of legal reports which abound at the present. day did not exist,-intolerably augmenting the labors of the student-tormenting the practitioner-substituting for the study of legal principle the empirical recollection of facts, and discouraging the acquirement of a scientific and philosophic knowledge of the law.

It cannot be pretended that he was a great lawyer, but he was learned and successful, and as has been already said, eminent in his profession. If he did not dazzle with sudden, bold, and exaggerated conceptions-if he did not startle and thrill with eloquence, the balance of his mind, his unwearied research in the tomes of old judges and reporters, his easy logic, his sound and practical good sense, his ready flow of language, rendered him a strong contestant in the forum, a versatile, safe, and ready counselor. Trained in the contests of stirring life, strengthened by enlarged experience, he was as successful as he was strong.

Judge Richardson was born at Tawneytown, Maryland, June 5th, 1777. At a very early age he emigrated to Cayuga county, and settled at Aurora. He read law with the late Walter Wood, a lawyer of considerable eminence, who in the year 1810 was appointed first judge of Cayuga county. Richardson prepared for the bar with Judge Wood, and in October, 1802, he was admitted to practice.

At the period when he was called to the bar, with all due respect to the profession at the present time be it said, the education and training of lawyers were severe and thorough. The principles of law adapted to the court of chancery alone, when well understood, rendered a lawyer accomplished and learned. It is too frequently the case at the present age, that while a profound and reasoning lawyer is carefully picking