Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1878-11-14

"Ihad no intention to hurt him."
"Ehat will be Judged by the attending cir
cumstances. Ii there has been a quarrel
| high words, you will find that justice vii
hardly take the most lenient view. But evel
Involuntary wounding rs punished with i'm
prisonment."
| drove into town and went to the Office O
the principal huissier, an official who com
bined the functions of usEer and bailit of tn
local court, collects debts and bills, and re
covers them if necessary, by a legal process
is the auctioneer, valuer and factotum IN al
affairs of Judgment or execution. 1t was bet
ter to take the bull by the horns, and ge
the first word in the ear of justice. Besides
the huissier and were already in friendl.
relations, as 1 had bought furniture of hi
sales and had done other business with him.
The huissier listened with grave face tt
my story. He had nothing to do with Grim
inal cases himself, they rested with the pc
lice; but clearly | was i'll amess. l urged III,
provocation had received, Kindred from
cutting the grass in the cour l had paid for.
"As far as that went" remarked the huis
sier, 1.-THE man was probably right. Tht
cour attached tn a house was generally re
served for pastures only; The man was only
defending the rights of his proprietaire"
"a likely thing, when he has just come ou
OF prison for wounding him."
'Ah! is that SOP" said the huissier, bright
ening up. "in that case, accompany me, i
you please, to the greffier, and We will ar
range the affair"
1t now appeared that Gown, luckily for me
was on the official black books. Only lately
out of prison and reputed dangerous char
acter, 1t was hardly likely he would venture
to the gendarmerie, or be listened to if 1t
went there. man with an evil reputation
who mis- ht be expected some day to commit
q desperate crime.
Bring process against him, then," sug
geated the huissieur.
YES, bring process!" echoed the greffier
a stout ioyial-looking man. The preliminary
process Is termed '.~onciliation." trusted
that Gown would consider it concillatory, but
l feared otherwise.
However, nothing happened till the day o
audience, when presented myself at court
supported by the goodly person of the profes
sor.
"Otez vos chapeaux," cried the huissier, and
the little JuIge entered in state in his robes
with the Notwithstanding velvet cap anG
the stout gr9tfier behind him with the book.
Barton ct GOWN" drawled the grettier
popping his head out of the door.
The Judge heard both stories, and then, eye
ing Gown, severely, told him that he had {
very bad opinion of him, and that he would
not advise him to come before the court toe
often. Butin the meantime he had left his
cour to Monsieur AnglaiS and received the
money. Had he paid his rent to his pro
prietOr?
Gown admitted that he had not. No, no.
for more than year. Not since the dispute
they had together when the proprietor raj
against the point OF his knife.
"Ah!" said the Judge, shaking his heat
sageIy, what did say?' And then he an
nounced his decision briskly. LET the
Monsieur Anglais take GOWNS cour and house
OF his hands, paying the arrears OF rent
~, - Iinh To lNTyf
his furniture, and then to make himself scarce
and betake himself to neighborhood where
he may be better appreciated because not 81
well known"
A verdict that dissatisfies both plaintiff an(
defendant must necessarily be based on tht
immutable principles OF justice. They were
there, no doubt, these principles, although We
could not see them.
"But my foot!" cried Gown.
Served you right for putting it in the way
ola scythe."
And the areas of rent-why should l pay
them?" | argued.
Consider what might have happened from
your want of care and judgment"
We left the court at the same moment.
Sand this is conciliation," murmured.
Gown gave me one sidelong glance fnll O
malice. We're we reconciled? 1t hardly
seemed so.
CHAPTER III.
Ny new "proprietor' seemed quite satisfied
with the decision OF the court, as well he
might be. In fact, like every one else, he had
been afraid of Gown. Even when the latter
was in prison he dared not to evict him. But
now it was a different thing altogether.
was the animal selected to bell the cat
Whatever steps were taken to evict Gown
that individual would give me the credit Of il
ALL
But at the end of the month he had
disappeared; the house was locked up and nt
vestage of occupation about it. We gave him
plenty of rol e, but at the end of another two
months, legal steps were taken for his eviction
The Judge, the Mayor, the Gretfier-all the
officials were in attendance. The cottage
was summoned to surrender. It made no re
ply. Thereupon. after three several demands
for admittance, the door was broken open
There was nothing inside but worm-eater
oaken buffet" and pile of fishing-nets. The
place was cleared out and the nets deposited
at the marie; and now thought should ht
able to let the cottage, and thus diminish the
cost of the cour Already had had severa
applications for it, houses being in great de
mand; but had not yet settled upon tenant
being anxious to get neighbur to my taste
But when I offered the place to the man hat
chosen, 10 my surprise he declined at once t.
take it. And it was the same with all the res
of my proposed tenents. They were very sor
ry but the house would not suit. Presently
found out the reason. Gown had made i
known in the village that he had sworn
great oath that the first intruder who slept il
his house should not leave it alive. In vain
rallied the people upon their cowardice.
"Well" said the stoutest and most courage
Gus among them: eff Monsieur W II himsel
sleep there for the first time, agree to taxi
the cottage without another word"
l soon saw that this was the only way tt
uuench the dread of Gown in the minds of tn
villagers, and as long as that dread lastet
there was no chance of letting the cottage.
felt too that there was kind Of challenge t.
my courage in the mans insolent threat
Therefore made known in the village that Of
such night would sleep at GOWNS cottage
| should be armed with loaded revolver, ant
let jokers beware for should certainly fire up
on any one who disturbed me.
The wind howled in melancholy fashion
with a great swaying, rushing sound from tn
forest, as stumbled along the steep winding
path that led to GOWNS. had to grope Of
the garden gate in the darkness, and as
touched the handle, the door of the loft wen
to with loud bang. / had not thought O
locking that, and now the wind had got
open and was blowing about it, or perhaps
was Gown on the lookout for me. l climbe,
up the outside stair that led to the loft, shell
tered by the overnanging caves of the thatch
ed gable, closed the door and locked it. frs
lighting my lantern in the shelter and lookln
carefully around. Then made my way
the front door along the garden path al
choked up by luxuriant vegetable growth
The branches and tendrils of the unprune
! vine caught at me and drew me back, like de-
tanning fingers, but went on and opened tn
door boldly.
| The first thing came in contact with wa
an object hanging from the rsfters, somethin
| in the shape of a man swinging slowly arounC
1t was Gown no doubt. Yes, there he was i
| his habits as he lived, coat trowsers and fish
erman's boots--but nothing inside them. Sin
ply GOWNS clothes hanging there. 1t was
| relief for the moment, and vet the fact itse
was startling. The clothes were GOWNS; the
conveyed distinct impression of their owne
| They had not been there in the morning
Gown must, therefore, have visited the plac