342 CITY OF BALTIMORE. [ART. 4.

ceedings may be had thereupon as if the same had been made
returnable, and had been returned to a term of said court under
the practice heretofore existing, except as hereinafter otherwise
provided.

1886, ch. 184.

162. If a defendant be returned " summoned," and shall fail
to appear, the clerk of the court on the day following the return
day to which the writ or process served on him is returnable,
shall enter the appearance of any defendant so summoned and
failing to appear, and the action shall proceed in the same man-
ner as if the party had appeared in person.

Ibid.

163. When a declaration in any action shall be filed in court,
and a copy thereof delivered to the defendant before the day of
the return of the writ, and the defendant shall be summoned
before the said day of the return of the writ, he shall plead
before the next succeeding return day, or judgment by default
for want of a plea shall be entered by the court or clerk thereof,
upon motion in writing made by the plaintiff, or his attorney,
then, or at any time thereafter, before the filing of a plea by the
defendant, unless the court for good reason shall have granted
said defendant further time to plead; and upon such entry of
judgment, the plaintiff may forthwith sue out his writ of inquiry,
or otherwise enter up final judgment according to the course of
the court.

Ibid.

164. When any action shall be brought upon a titling and the
defendant shall have been summoned, the plaintiff shall file his
declaration within fifteen days after the return day to which said
defendant has been summoned, or judgment of non pros, may
be entered by the court or the clerk thereof against him for want
of a declaration, upon motion in writing made by the defendant
at any time thereafter, unless the court for good cause shown
shall grant further time; but if the plaintiff shall have filed his
declaration in any such action, at any time before the entry of a
judgment of non pros, against him, the defendant shall be re-
quired to plead to such declaration within the time and upon the