‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Mr. Justin Langley, a retired Judge of the High Court, was a serious man.’  There were none who remember seeing a smile take the place of the ever grave expression that appeared as would a mask covering his features. Many associates and barristers jokingly knew him as Woodface Langley.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Now in his retirement, he loved nothing more than working peacefully in his front garden or reading in his well- stocked library. The Langley’™s back garden was dominated by a great maple tree except for which there was little to speak of. This tree was a friend and playmate for many young’  children who lived nearby. These very children, however, were the one bane to old Justice Langley’™s life. After his many years in noisy courtrooms, he now desired nothing more than peace and quiet. He was impatient in the extreme to the ‘˜brats’™; to their constant shouts and screams of excitement as they played and climbed into the tree’™s leafy branches.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  With no children of their own, to Mary, his wife, the kids were a delight. She allowed them their games and enjoyed their happy shouts at play. To her they were family while to them she was an ‘œaunt’ with delicious cup- cakes, and in the hot days of summer, a cool fruity drink.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  She had cajoled her husband into an agreement’  of sorts in spite of his displeasure.’  While working he had not had to contend with the children’™s noisy play but in his retirement the problem had become pressing.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  To ten year old Margaret Angler from down the road, the great tree had become a friend.’  She loved to sit amongst its branches, so leafy from May through September.’  Margaret’™s father had built a small platform for her there and she would spend much time serenely reading and doing her homework.’  Margaret was not one to have friends but, as she told Aunt Langley, when in the tree she never felt lonely.’  Other children’™s noise didn’™t disturb her.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Then came a terrible day both for Mary and the Angler’™s.’  There happened to be a bunch of particularly rowdy boys and girls in the tree when the Justice came storming out swearing and grumbling. ‘œI’™ll just have to cut down the blasted tree,’ he shouted into the foliage.’  ‘œThat’™s the only solution for me to finally get some peace in my home.’’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Mrs. Langley was quick on the scene endeavouring to calm her husband but the man, it appears, had reached his limit. ‘œEnough!’  Do you hear all of you?’’ ‘  He shouted his words up into the leaves.’  ‘œEnough! I have had a hard, noisy life and now want some peace!’  Can’™t you understand?’’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The silence was suddenly as absolute as it was immediate.’  There was then heard a light rustle followed by a scream as a body fell from a branch.’  It was Margaret who, in her upset had fallen from her perch.’  She first collided with a branch, finally landing with a blood freezing thud on the ground close to the feet of the old man.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Justin, struck dumb and rooted to the spot, simply stared at the prostrate figure with an unbelieving look upon his face.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Mary was the first to move.’  She ran to the girl pushing her husband aside to get to the unmoving form.’  Falling to her knees, she began examining Margaret, fearfully dreading the worst.’  Finally she found her voice:’ ‘  ‘œAn ambulance,’ she screamed.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  This shout propelled Justin into action.’  He turned and disappeared into the house while Mary continued to examine Margaret.’  She placed felt’  for a pulse.’  Feeling nothing and in a paroxysm of anxiousness, placed an ear to the girl’™s breast.’  In the meantime boys and girls were silently clambering down the trunk of the tree then disappearing pale- faced and silent around the corner of the house.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Mary’™s sense of relief was enormous when the ambulance doctor turned to her saying,’  ‘œMrs. Langley,’  I’™m happy to tell you that the girl’™s alright. Her heartbeat is weak but it is there,’ he said while taping an infusion needle to the girl’™s arm.’  ‘œWe’™ll have her in hospital in no time.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The Anglers arrived at the hospital together with the ambulance.’  After an anxious half hour, Mary and the Anglers were overjoyed to hear from the doctor that except for shock, some fractured ribs and a cut on her wrist Margaret was all right.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œYou should change the dressing each day,’ the doctor continued. ‘œShe will have some chest pain, of course, but this will pass in a few weeks.’ ‘  She must not strain herself.’  As for her general feeling, a couple of days of rest and she should be fine,’ he ended with a smile.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The Anglers and Mary shook hands warmly on parting.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  That might have been the end of the matter as far as the Anglers were concerned, but it certainly was not for Justin.’  He now had a genuine case to put before his wife.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œMary, you know that we are liable in case of accidents?’’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œAccidents do happen,’ was Mary’™s argument, but Justin’™s retort, ‘œIf a kid is permanently injured or even killed you would never forgive yourself,’ he said. We shall be in a terrible predicament.’ His words struck Mary hard.’ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Mary was in a quandary.’  She loved the kids and they loved her.’  They were ‘˜her kids’™.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  A meeting was convened at the Angler’™s place with all the parents and children. Many arguments were placed for and against continuing to play in the tree. Finally a compromise’  was agreed upon’  which hurt Mary deeply.’  It was not quite as bad as the felling of’  the tree, though a death warrant nevertheless.’  The Langley’™s would remove a section of bark from the trunk of the tree,’  which then, in a matter of months, would be reduced to a tree with no life.’  Petrified. Literally a skeleton.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Of course the kid’™s unhappiness at the prospect was very real.’  It showed in their faces which seemed to reflect a picture of the tree dead and lifeless – its branches, skeleton like, silhouetted against the sky.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  They persuaded their parents into a second meeting at the Angler’™s home.’ ‘  ‘œWe must get around the judge’™s stand and reinforce Mary’™s’ was the outcome.’  It was Margaret, herself who presented a trump card when she said, ‘œI want to sit in my place again. I love the tree and want more than anything to be on my branch again.’’  This received a great ovation from all.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The problem then boiled down to one – Justice Langley.’  They’  looked at Mr. Angler.’  As a lawyer surely he could find a way out?’  Margaret’™s appealing look was most persuasive; her pleas to sit again in her favourite place touched her father deeply.’  After some thought he said, ‘œI’™ll try and think of something. Give me a few days. I have an idea which just may make old Woodface change his mind,’ he said with a mischievous smile forming.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Several days later a solemn delegation of kids led by Margaret delivered a letter in the form of an ancient sealed scroll into the hands of Mary Langley asking her to ‘œPlease hand this to Mr. Justice Langley. And would he please read it out aloud to all present.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  After a few anxious moments, Justin Langley appeared at the rear door to face his young audience who were gathered in the shade of the great maple. He was, of course, as solemn- faced as ever.’  With great deliberation he broke the seal of the scroll, unrolled it and began to read in a clear, authoritative voice reserved normally for courts of law.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWe the undersigned do hereby absolve, indemnify and exempt from any liability, Mary and Justice Justin Langley from any injury harm or hurt occurring to any one of us, the said undersigned which signatures have been formally authorised by their parents while playing, climbing’  or doing any act whatsoever and howsoever entered into while in the premises of the said Mary and Justice Langley and we do hereby of our own free will and under no duress or persuasion of any sort or kind undertake to never’  seek any measure of recompense whether financial’  or in kind for any such injury harm or hurt which may come to any one of us in the said premises.’  We do additionally undertake to be as silent as possible in our games taking into consideration the need of Justice Langley for peace and quiet.’  To this undertaking and pledge we do solemnly set our hands this first day of April, nineteen hundred and ninety eight.’’  The signatures of the parents and nine young children followed.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  At the foot of this document was a flagged red ribbon held in place by a large red wax seal. It was most impressive.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The reading of the scroll, which was written apparently by a skilled scibe upon a heavy parchment paper, the Justice read in great solemnity. Then, re-rolling it and with not even the slightest change to his dispassionate demeanour, carefully slid it into the inner pocket of his jacket.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Mary looked intently at her husband’™s face but could not detect, not by even the slightest shade or flicker, any change.’  It was as it always was and had been; that of the exemplary court judge – an example to the judiciary.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Since putting away the scroll, the Justice had not removed his stern gaze from the delegation of young children beneath the tree. They in turn, eyes wide in anxious anticipation, were holding their breath pending judgement ‘“ the fateful words from the lips of the presiding judge.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Then an extraordinary thing happened. Just as a piece of heavy wood or plywood can be persuaded to change shape by steam and powerful forces acting upon it, very gradually a change was seen to take place in the Justice’™s face.’  A light not seen for more years than anyone could remember came to his eye. Still intent upon her husband’™s features, Mary, as astonished as were the children looking on, began to feel a glow inside as Justice Langley’™s face, very, very slowly broke into something that, though barely discernible, could only be described as a smile.