Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-09-03
THE MAD MAYOR.

One the mayors of Cornwall was
''the mad mayor Of Gantick, VINO was
wise for a long day and then died of
it."
1t seems that the Cornish village of
Gantick was used once every year to
purgo itself of evil. To this end, the
villagers prepared a huge dragon of
pastel a d and marched out with it to
san J common, since cut up by tin
works, but still known as Dragon
Moor. Here they would choose one of
their number to be mayor, and sub
nit to IN all questions of conscience
and such cases of notorious evil living
as the law failed to provide for.
Summary Justice waited on all his de-
cisions; and as the village wag was
usually chosen for the post you may
guess that the horse-play was rough al
times When this was over and the
public conscience purified, the COM
pany fell on the pasteboard dragon
with sticks and whacked him into
small pieces. which they buried in
small hollow called Dragon lit; and so
returned gladly to their homes to
start on another twelve months of sin.
This feast of publication fell always
on the twelfth of July; and in the hey
day of its celebration there lived in a
cottage a Widow-woman and her only
son, a damented man about forty years
old. There was no harm in the poor
creature, who worked at the LanihOrne
slate-quarries, six miles off. as
''hollib,. er"-that is to say, in cart
Ing away the refuse slate. Every morn
ing he walked to his work, mumbling
80 himself as he went; and though the
children s3Ilowed him at times boot
ing ami hinging stones. they grew
tired at last, finding that he never re-
sented it. His mother-a tall, silent
woman, with an inscrutable face-had
supper ready for him when he re-
turned, and often was forced to feed
him, while he unlocked his tongue and
babbled over the small adventures of
the day. He was not one of those
gifted idiots who hear voices in the
wind and know the language OF the
wild birds. His talk was merely i'm
beetle; and, for the rest, he had large
gray eyes, features of that regularity
which we call Greek. and stood six
feet two in his shoes.
One hot morning-it was the twelfth
of July--he was starting for his work,
when an indescribable hubbub sound
ed up the road, and presently came by
the whole rabble Of Gantick, with cow
horns and instruments of percussion,
and in their midst he famous dragon
all green, with fiery, painted eyes,
and a long tongue of red flannel Be-
hind it the prisoners were escorted-a
pale woman or two, with dazed
terrified eyes, an old man suspected of
egg-stealing, a COW addicted to tres
pass. and 50 on.
The mayor was not chosen vet this
ceremony being deferred by rule till
the crowd reached Dragons Moor.
But drawing near the cottage door and
catching sight Of the half-wit,ed man,
with his foot on the threshold, vii
lage wit called out and proposed that
they should take 1.-The Mounster" Gas
he was called) along with them for
mayor
1t hit the mob's humor, and they
cheereu. Ile MONSTERS mother,
standir- in the doorway. went white
as if painted
Man in a Jumps hateful animal"
she said to herself, hoarsely; come
indoors. Jonathan, an let ZEN 70 by"
Come an rule over us. the crowd
invited him, and a CLEAN of proud
delight woke in his silly face.
The heat-his head won't stand
1t" The woman looked up at the
cloudless sky. For Gods sake, take
your fun elsewherew she cried
The women who were led to iudg-
ment looked at her stupil Y. They,
too, suffered. without understanding,
the heavy sport of men. At last one
said:
''Old woman, let him come. Well
have more mercy from a mazei man."
Sister, you've been loose. they tell
me. : answered the old woman, AN
must eat the bitter fruit OF. But my
sons an Innocent. Jonathan. they'll
look for YOU at the works"
There's prouder work for me pom
Dragons Moor" the Mounster decided
with smiling eyes. Come along,
mother, an see me exalted"
The crowd bore him of at their
head, and the din broke out again.
The new mayor strutted among them
with lifted chin and radiant face He
thought it glorious. His mother ran
into the cottage. fetched bottle, and
followed after the dusty tail OF the
procession. Once, as they were pass
ing running stream. she halted and
filled the bottle carefully. emptying it
again and again until the film outside
the glass was to her liking. Then she
followed, and came TO Dragons Moor.
They sat the MAJOR on mound,
took off his hat, placed a crown on his
head and broomstick in his hand,
and brought him the cases to try.
The first was gray mare, pos
sessed (they alles ed) with devil.
Her skin hung like a sack on ner
honaa