The Davenport Gazette

Anecdote of Judge Parsons.--When Judge Parsons was a practising lawyer, he was once employed to plead two cases in court, which were precisely alike, but in one he was engaged for the defendant, in the other for the plaintiff. It happened that both cases were tried the same day. He spoke half an hour to the first jury, and the case was given to them and they had retired.--When he appeared before the second jury he made use of very different arguments from those before employed by him, of which the court took notice, reminded him that he seemed to have changed his tone, and repeating to him what he had said but a few minutes before. Mr. Parsons, fixing his keen eye upon the judge replied--"May it please your honor, I might have been wrong a half hour ago, but now I know I am right." He proceeded; and when the juries returned it was found that he had gained the verdict in both cases.