"The witness hesitated. In all the drilling that had taken place before the trial, neither the counsel nor witnesses had thought of what questions might come up in the cross-examination, and now, not seeing the drift of the question, the witness seemed a little bewildered, and the counsel for the prosecution looked puzzled.
"The question was repeated with some emphasis.
" 'No, sir,' replied the witness, hesitatingly, 'I am not a naturalist.'
" 'Then, sir, not being a naturalist, dare you affirm that those microscopic insects were not humbugs instead of bedbugs'—(here the prisoner was interrupted by a universal shout of laughter, in which the solemn judge himself joined)—land if they were humbugs, I suppose that even the learned counsel opposed to me will not claim that they were out of place.
" 'They may have been humbugs,' replied the witness.
" 'That will do, sir; you may go,' said I; and at the same time, turning to the array of counsel, I remarked, with a smile, 'You had better have a naturalist for your next witness, gentlemen.'
" 'Don't be alarmed, sir, we have got one, and we will now introduce him,' replied the counsel.
"The next witness testified that he was a planter from Georgia, that some years since the prisoner visited his plantation with a show, and that while there he discovered an old worthless donkey belonging to the planter, and bought him for five dollars. The next year the witness visited Iranistan, the country seat of the prisoner, and, while walking about the grounds, his old donkey, recognizing his former master, brayed; 'whereupon,' continued the witness, 'I walked up to the animal and found that two men were engaged in sticking wool upon him, and this animal was afterwards exhibited by the prisoner as the woolly horse.'
"The whole court—spectators, and even the 'prisoner' himself—were convulsed with laughter at the gravity with which the planter gave his very ludicrous testimony.
" 'What evidence have you,' I inquired, 'that this was the same donkey which you sold to me?'