>>>And, er--which Marshall was it that that law you referred to was named after? Possibly Matt Dillon, as when in the Old West, the marshalls pretty much ruled some towns? (Yes, folks, I do know that not everyone reading this will get the reference. I just want to see what kind of responses this might lead to. Explanation gladly given if asked Private.)<<<
I'll have to marshal my thoughts on this one, but I do know that a two-ell marshall is generally a given name, while one-ell marshal is variously a military officer, an officer of the courts, or a peace officer. I think the law to which Jazz was refering is martial law -- temporary military rule imposed on civilians, especially in war time. A one-ell marshal is frequently named Shorty.
Reminds me of an Ogden Nash snippet:
A one-ell lama, he's a priest.
A two-ell llama, he's a beast.
But I will bet my silk pajama,
You've never seen a three-ell lllama.
(The author's attention has been invited to a conflagration known as a three-alarmer)
