Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-10-01
THE MAD MAYOR.

One Of the mayors Of Cornwall was "the
mad mayor Of Gantiek, who was wise for a
long day and then died of it,"
It seems that the Cornish village OF Gan
tick was used once ia every year 20 purge
itself Of evil To this end the villagers pre-
pared q huge dragon Of pasteboard and
marched ont with il 10 a sandy common,
since cut up by tin works, but still known
as Dragons moor Here they would choose
one OF their number TO DO mayor, and sub
nit to him all questions of conscience and
such cases of notorious evil living as the
law failed to provide for Summary jus.
: tice waited on all his decisions, and as the
village wag WAS generally chosen for the
| post, You may guess that the horse play
was rough at times When this was over.
and the public conscience purified, the
( company fell on the pastehoard dragon
with sticks and whacked him into small
+ pieces which they buried in a small hollow
called Dragon Pit and SO returned gladly
/ TO their homes 20 start on another twelve
months of sin.
This feast OF publication fell always on
I the 18th Of July, aud IN the heydey of It's
celebration there lived In cottage a widow
woman and her only son. a demented man
! about forty years old. There was no harm
in the poor creature, who worked at the
Lanihorne slate quarries, six miles of, M a
"hollibubber" that is TO say, in oarting
! away the refuse slate. Every morning he
walked TO his work. mumbling 80 himself
! as be went; aud though the children fol-
4 lowed him at times, h0oting and finging
stones, they grew tired nc last, finding that
he never resented H. His mother--a tall
silent woman, with an inscrutable face
had supper ready for him when he re
turned, and often was forced 70 feed him,
/ while he unlocked his tongue and bahbled
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 inn
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 i2th Of
July-he was starting for his work. when
an indescribahle huhbub sounded up the
road, and presently came by the whole rab-
BILE of Gantick, with COW horns and instru-
ments Of percussion, aud in their midst
the famous dragon, all green, with fiery,
painted eyes and long tongue OF red Han
mel Behind It the prisoners were escorted
"a pale woman or two, with dazed, terri
fed eyes, an old man suspected Of egg
stealing. COW addicted TO trespass and
so on.
The mayor WINS not chosen yet, this cere
mony being deferred by rule till the GROVE
. reached Dragons moor But drawing neal
: the cottage door and catching sight Of th'
! half witted nan, with his foot on th'
: threshold village wit called out anS
, proposed that they should take 9TH
Mounstern lils he was called) along witt
= them for mayor.
5 IL bit hemob's humor, and they cheered
$ The MONSTERS mother, standing in til
doorway, went white, as If painted.
"AIan In the Jumps a hateful animal,
she said TO herself, hoarsely. Come in
doors, Jonathan, an let 'em 20 by.
, "Come an rule over MS, the crowd in
Q vited him, and a CLEAN Of proud deligh
, woke in his silly face.
. "rhe heat-hls head won't stand IT,.
The woman looked mp at the cloudless sky
For Gods sake. take your fun esewherel
she cried
d 1.-THE women who were led TO iudgmen
looked at her stupidity. They, too, suffered
J, without understanding. the heavy sport 6
= men. Al Inst one said:
"Old woman, let him come. Wen haS
more mercy from a mazed man."
SISTER, you've been loose, they tell me-
o. answered the old woman, IAN must eat Il
Dr. bitter fruit OF But my sons an innocen
re Jonathan, they'll look for you at Il
Ia works.
There's prouder work for me pom Ora
on's moor,n the Mounster decided wit
smiling eyes. Come along, mother !
N. see me exalted"
- The crowd bore him of at their head al
hs the din broke out again. The new may
strutted among them with lifted chin an
a radiant face. He thought il glorior
His mother ran into the cottage, fetched
4, bottle. and followed after the dusty tail
Wy the procession Once, as they were passil
rs a running stream, she halted and filled {
= bottle carefully, emptying it again a
again until the Glm outside the glass "
4 to her liking Then she followed and cal
70 Dragons moor
They sat the mayor on a mound, took
n his hat, placed a crown on his head ant
- broomstick in his hand and brought b
} the cases to try.
The first was q gray mare, possess
- they alleged, with a devil Her skin hu
n like a sack on her bones.
u "'Tis Eli Thoms' mare. What's TO
- done to cure herfn they asked.
y ''Iet Eli Thoms buy comb an comb
mares tail while she eats her feed, SO Ell
know If It's the devil OF no that steals G
q. from his manger."
They applauded his wisdom and brou
forward the woman who had pleaded J
/ now with his mother.
. "Who made herin be asked, hay
listened 70 the charge.
-, "God tits 70 be supposed.
~ "God makes no evil"
~ 1.-THE devil, then"
a. "Then whack the devil"
They fell on the pasteboard dragon
belabored him. The sun poured down
,ver. the mayors throne, and his mother,
mort sat by his right hand, wondering at
,tata sense, gave him water to drink from
ana bottle They broughta third case-a
No. who had been caught torturing COW.
"a had taken a saw and tried to saw of
49, Of her horns while she was tethered in
stall
pei The mayor leaped from his seat.
cuDg xiii himi" be shouted, take hir
the and kill himr' His face was twisted
prn passion and be lifted his stick. The CT
'onio fell back for a second, but the old wo
state leaned forward and touched her son $
ware