Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-07-17


Roushs. BIDDY SHORT and child
MIKE. OFFICER.
SCENE-Lawyer' Office. john sit
ting with his elbow on the table,
and his head leaning, dcsponding-
ly, on his hand.
John-The squire VIII be back in
fifteen minutes, the boy says. Won
der what he Will think TO see me
here? He Will probably say, as / DO
myself now, that | had better have
listened 10 father and stuck TO the
farm, instead OF going around the
country, making an ape OF myself,
trying to sell this COMPOUNDED patent
bootjack, Twenty dollars day, in
deed, | would like to see twenty
cents day! Hang the thing,
Door opens cautiously, and Bill and
Joe enter.
Joe-Heilo, Short! so you've turn
ed up again? Say, nobody here-is
there? You seq. we've ventured into
the lions jaws &c see you. " hat are
you up to now, dressed up SO smart :?
Going to marry another Bridget Me
Flinnigan, and clear out with the
dosh? Ha, ha, ha! That was we'll
done, though. Come in with Us
again, John, and We'll show you
something handsome, to the tune of
five thousand
mistake, sir; | don't know either OF
you.
Bill-That's it; bluff your old GRO
mics, my piOus Father Morton. Put
| on that old gray wig, and read pray
ers at the Sailors Chapel, again, and
defy the best detective in Boston To
point his finger at little Short, the
fOrger, burglar, and runaway hUs-
| band YOU'RE sharp 'un, Father
Morton. Oh, yes,
John, Rising. Whats the mean
ing of ali this l tell you never saw
you before, and don 'tknow what you
are talking about.
Joe. (Slapping his shoulder. }
Come, now, Father Morton, if you
are sharp so are we Don't try Your
lodges on u.s. We know you read
ing prayers, and we know you now
and you just stop your gassing, and
| tell Us what you are into. Mum :
the word?
John Asidc-Thunder and guns
They will make me believe I'm
| somebody else, in spite of my teeth
| tell you, once for all, Pm not the
person you take me for. My name
! is John Jones, from
Biddy Short-Ncry loud, outside
| In here, your honor; ! saw him 20
in mesilf afore run to tell yees, me
own by,
lOfliccr and Biddy enter. She rushes
at John with Outstretched arms.
Och, honey, ye've COON at last
How could We 90 an treat your own
| Biddy that bad, who loved We so
Say, Jimmy, darlint, now could We
now, and me wapin' mesilf to ashes
Och, wurra
John-pushing her away-Stand
off, woman Are you mad, or tipsy .
Biddy-Stan, off, is it? Dhrunk is
| it? le villain! Where's the money
old We shtole out of me black
stOckin' fut under the bed in the
brown pitcher, and rund away with
it? Ie thavin' bla'g'ard?
| John, aside-Ten thousand furies
Am L John Jones, or q thieving
| blackleg ?-Will some kind friend ia
form me? Take this wild creature
away. | know nothing Of her. She
| must be crazy!
Biddy, shaking her fist at him
Do ye say TO me face that We niver
saw me afore an | Yer own thrue
| wife? An there's the ring will
prove it, ye spalpeen Look at the
ring.
Otffcer-Be calm, my good woman
| there may be some mistake here-an
accidental resemblance. | know
Short myself, and ann not quite sure
| he is the same, though the likeness
| il striking.
Biddy-A mistake, is it, now? An
1 don't know me own husband, Jim
Short, an the father NY me by
| 1.
he'll deny his own shild? Who is it,
| Mike, darlint?
Mike-It's pappy.
blooded Villain an Ee to deny it
| 10000.
John-Will no one listen 10 me? |
protest | know nothing OF this wo-
man. | am stranger here, and WAS
never i'll the city IN my life until
twenty -four hours ago.
Ofiicer-The woman surely ought
to know her husband.
Biddy-Och, the murtherin bla'g'-
ard look for yourself, yer honor, am
see him square OIL, as he allus did
when ! guy him little tap Wi the
fire-shoovil. Don't | know him,
though? Me own cousin Meg Me
earthly, she said, said she.
Don't yes go for To marry the
thavin' Yankee by, Biddy, for it's
only the little il % bounty poor Pat
left yees, an his blisecd bones IA
! moulderin' 'mong the nagers an
rattlesnakes, as he's afthcr, an then
he'll clare and lave Ne. Look well
Biddy, afore ye lape, she said. An
l BACKED her eye for slandherin' me
by; bad loock To me fort. Only
look at him, yer honor, dressed up
like tOine glntleman, wi the mon
ey me poor poor Patrick sold his
blood for, an mcsilf in rags, an me
poor little Mike erwin for a crust.
Infringing her hands and crving.)
OtliCer-This looks bad for YOU. nv
man; you must come with Us, and
have an investigation.
John-NevCr, sir | own I'm from
the country, and may seem green
enough To be the ready dupe of a
pair of blacklcgs and woman very
lit TO toe their accOnplicc, bat | rails
ed a fair set of knucklcs on the farm.
and I'll fight you singly or all to-
gether before you'll free me To own
an Irish termagant for nv wife even
with her lsvely offspring thrown in.
Officer-Come, come, none of this :,
or | will arrest you for resisting the
law.
Lawyer Blaine enters.
Blaine-We ell, well, quite gather
ing. Any trouble, Mr.. Officer? All.
John, how dye do? Shake hands.
Father up, or did you come alone d?
Glad 10 see you, my boy.
john am quite alone, and a