During the reconstruction days of Virginia, a negro was convicted of murdering his wife and sentenced to be hanged. On the morning of the execution he mounted the scaffold with reasonable calmness. Just before the noose was to be placed around his neck the sheriff asked him if he had anything to say. He studied a moment and said:
"No, suh, boss, thankee, suh, 'ceptin' dis is sho gwine to be a lesson to me."
"What punishment did that defaulting banker get?" "I understand his lawyer charged him $40,000."
An Indian in Washington County once sized up Maine's game laws thus: "Kill cow moose, pay $100; kill man, too bad!"
TEACHER—"Willie, did your father cane you for what you did in school yesterday?"
PUPIL—"No, ma'am; he said the licking would hurt him more than it would me."