The herald., 1893-08-27
AN EDITORS DISAPPOINTMENT,
He Almost Disposed Of Ten Dol
lars Worth of Justice.
Editorials and Justice Ground Out in
Unison and Harmony.
The Price Was High. Bat tho Man with
Two Days the Start of .
jag wohld Have
Paid 1t.

The queer economy displayed in Pasa-
dena in an institution where the attempt
is made to dispense both justice and
sense led to sad occurrence few days
ago, out OF which moral might perhaps
be extracted if probed for deep enough.
The institution alluded to ia both the
editorial foundry OF the Pasadena Grown
Vista and the court room of Justice of
the Peace II. E. Laurence-who is also
the editor of the aforementioned Grown
Vista. Here in this dual temple OF
knowledge and justice Mr.. Laurence ia
wont to sit through each livelong day,
now spreading upon the white pages be-
fore him the glowing thoaghts that will
soon appear upon the printed page to
enlighten the world, at the low rate OF
50 per annum, and anon pausing to dis,
pense small wad OF justice at from 10
to $25 per dispense.
In this dual role OF Justice dispenser
and world enlightener Mr.. Laurence has
been fairly successful. Once be fined q
man IS who had merely dropped in to
pay years subscription and incident
ally to give the editor q few ideas on the
silver question, and only few days
later be charged man 81 per annum
for assault and battery and told him he
might pay it in clingstone peaches or
stove wood, iustwhich he preferred.
Beyond these trif1ing incidents, how
ever, Mr.. Lawrence has found the two
occupations quite we'll adapted to each
other, and to mis- liking.
But the hot weather of the last few
weeks came and found Mr.. Laurence
feeling just trifls overworked. People
seemed to require about as much justice
when the Thermometer was up near a
hundred ae they did before, and the
world seemed to be able to stand about
as much enlightening. Mr.. Laurence'e
official dignily wilted with his collar
so he decided to close the justice factory
and HE himself away to the cooling
sands by the deep.rolling sea.
Now Mr.. Lawrence has a partner in
the person of Mr.. Will Vail, who is him.
self great world enlightener but no
justice of the peace, having no official
sanction of the people by election to
that high Office.
Mr.. Vail was left then alone to grind
ont editorials, while the wheels of JUS
tice were supposed to be clogged.
One sultry day Mr.. Vail sat in the
great chair on the high place back OF
the railing. His active intellect had
just secured hold upon the knob of q
bright idea and there was, accordingly.
look on his face as wise as ever justice
of the peace wore. just then the door
opened and q man entered. He was an
old offender, but he had been in the
habit OF securing his Justice at another
shop and he made an excusable mistake.
''Jedge," said he, "what's yer charge
fer two.day's q drunk? Give it to me
light, 'cos I'm bout burst"
Mr.. Vail looked up from the page he
WAS writing and surveyed the wreck
that stood trembling before him.
"You want justice enough to cover
two days of drunk, eh? It'll cost you
$40, and may the Lord have mercy upon
your SOUL" and as he said it the two
eyes of Mr.. Vail rolled heavenward.
"That's more'n Pm in the habit of
payin', jedge," began the wreck, "but
guess it's all right" and he was about
to produce from somewhere about his
person a coin of the said denomination
when the door once more opened and
the heavy judicial air OF the place was
invaded by q man in blue clothes who
wore upon his breast bright star.
Not word was said. A heavy hand
fell upon the shoulder of the wreck. He
struggled for a moment to free himself
from the vice-like grip and then passed
out through the door in the wake of the
constable who had him firmly in tow.
Mr.. Vail looked for q few seconds at
the place where the wreck had been and
then he sighed and again bent over the
half written page. The wise look had
faded from his face and in its place had
come sad one. He had lost $40 and be
knew it. HoaALooM.