“If your honor please, on behalf of the ‘bar’ of this county, I object to Mrs. Betsy Gaskins a practicin law before this court.
“I object for three reasons: First, because she is a woman; second, because she has not been admitted to practice in this court; third, because it interferes with the legitimate profits of the legal fraternity of this county.
“If your honor please, as you well know, the lawyers of this county have no other source of income than from the parties to the cases brought to this court, and if women and persons who have not been admitted to the bar are permitted to practice in this court, our bizness will be ruined, and some of us, at least, will have to go to workin for a livin; therefore I object to permittin this woman to farther participate in this case, and in doin so I voice the sentiment of every member of this bar.”
I riz up.
“‘Ready.’”
The judge looked at me, steady like, over his specks, as if he was a goin to tell me to set down. Says I:
“Mistur Court, may I speak?”
He looked around at the bar. Several heads went east and west. The judge thought a minit and says:
“You may speak.”