Wichita eagle., 1889-01-23

OUR YOUNG FOLKS.
THE STOLEN GARLIC.
A Chinese Story, Showing How the Chi
nese Dispenso Justice.

A Chinese Story, Showing How the Chi
nese Dispense Justice.
a poor man planted a bed of garlic, and
as he had no land besides. each plant was
separately tended and grew apace- When
the crop was almost large enough for pull
ing, he placed beside the bed a portable
hutch, and slept there O. nights to guard
against thieves. After watching for many
nights without seeing sign of trespassers,
he concluded that there were none about,
and that he might as well sleep at home; so
he left the empty hutch beside the garlic
bed and spent the night IN his own house.
When he came back next morning to water
his vegetables he found that all had been
pulled and carried of
In CONSERVATION and tears he went to the
magistrate and entered complaint OF his
loss. The magistrate called him up for ex-
animation and asked him why he did not
seize the thief.
Because, your honor, was not there
when he came"
''Then why did you not bring as witness
some one who saw him!"
Because, your honor, nobody caught
glimpse of him"
"Then why did you not bring from the
garlic bed some clcw by which he might be
traced
Because, your honor, he left nothing in
the bed besides the portable hutch which
was there before"
every well, " said the magistrate; '.since
the hutch was the only object known to be
on the field at the time of the theft we will
make the hutch the defendant in the suit,
and tomorrow morning you will appear
here as plaintiff against it"
The complaint and the result Of the pre-
hminary examination were reported far
and wide, with the official announcement
that on the next morning portable hutch
would be tried for theft. So remarkable
trial had never before been heard of, and it
became the subject Of inquiry, comment
and debate throughout the neighborhood.
When the case was called the court was
crowded with spectators. The constabies
brought in the hutch and put it in the place
for prisoners. 1t was charged with the
crime and as il offered 10 defense the
magistrate ordered that il should be beaten
until 1t confessed its guilt. The constabIes
administered blows with a viii leaving il
shattered pieces As the punishment
proceeded the spectators gave way before
their sense OF the ludicrous, and by the
time the constables were following up and
whipping the fragments Of the hutch the
audience was laughing heartily
In apparent rage the magistrate charged
the whole assembly with contempt Of court,
ordered al the gates TO be shut and locked,
and fined each person present q pound of
garlic, with 10 release until the fine should
be paid. Many constab!es were depUted 70
escort those who wished to 60 out to bug
garlic, and each merrily spent few far
things in paying his fine.
In the course Of the day ali the garlic in
the market had been bought up, and the
adjoining harulets had been rausackcd TO
supply the un gTonted demand. Each, as be
handed in his fine, was required to tell
where he got the garlic which was then de-
posted bunch By bunch in q chamber Of tie
court house.
When ali the fines were paid the plaintiff
was invited TO examine the punches Of gar
lie and TO state whether he recognized any
as his own. He unhestatlu gly declared
certain bupcncs TO be his, sud when ike
record Of the purchasers was examined
these punches were found 70 have been al
bought at the stall Of certain green
grocer. The green-grocer was arrested
sad made 70 tell where he 20; the stolen
goods. nc declared tina: he kneEg nothing
more about the garlic than that be had
bought it from a certain vi.lager The vll-