The old colored attendant at the court house had a formula for addressing the judge:
"What's the news this mawnin', Jedge?"
And the judge's habitual reply was to the effect that there was no news in particular.
But one morning, in answer to the usual query, there came a variation:
"Our country has declared war against Spain." The darky scratched his head thoughtfully, then rolled his eyes to squint at the cloudless blue of the sky, and finally remarked in a pleased tone: