Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-01-11
His FIRST Official night.
BY W. p. CHAMBERS.


lived on the hill beyond the creek man
who divided his time about equally be-
tween deer hunting and tilling the few
rocky, sterile acres that constituted his
farm. This man-George Bently, by
name-was u prominent figure in that
sparsely- settled region. He was q
giant in strength, daring in danger, cool
in emergencies and fertile in expedients.
Though illiterate, he was by no means
uueducated so far as the love of forest
and stream was concerned, and his skill
in deciphering the volume of human
nature was of no mean order. So at
thirty-five he was an acknowledged
leader among his follows.
About this time "a general election
occurred, and during the day somebody
suggested that George Bently be voted
for Justice of the Peace for Weston
Beat. The suggestion being acted on,
that individual returned home about
sunset, and with pardonable citation in
formed his wife that he bad been
elected magistrate without opposition
Without giving the matter any con-
sideration, either as to the duties apper-
tanning to the Office or his own qualifca-
tions for their performance, he made the
necessary bond, and in due time his
commission, bearing the great seal of the
State, was received. together with copy
of the Code. Now our new official had
never uad law book in his hands before,
and he felt somewhat dismayed, but
rather important withal, as he surveyed
the bulky volume, bound in legal calf
Thrusting his commission into the
pocket of his pantaloons, for he had
no coat, and taking the huge
volume under his arm, he wendell
his homeward way. If his gait
was more staid and his bearing more
dignifed than usual it was simply be-
cause he felt himself an exponent, if
not part, of the State, in her sovereign
capacity of making and administering
laws.
AS soon as supper was dispatched he,
with the aid of his wife. spelled out the
commission, and then taking up the Code
he began at the title page. He had got
nearly to the end of the report of the
Codifying Committee when drowsiness
overpowered him, and he began to dis
robe for the night. AS he was in the act
of lying down loud "hello" was heard
at the yard gate. When the door was
opened a voice in the darkness called
out:
'Does Squire Bently live here2"
''Im the man, was the rather pompous
reply.
az want warrant for Jake Jones'"
UWhat's he doueY"
"Him and Pete Brown got into row
at old man Halls house-raising this
evenin' and he knocked Pete down with
a handspike, and it looks like he's g'in'
to die"
"AlI right-come in
BY the time the officer had donned
his clothes and replenished the fire the
other man-one John Graham-had en-
tered.
Had Squire Bently been required to
make an astronomical calculation he
would not have been more completely at
loss how to proceed. But he felt that
his official honor was at stake and so,
after hasty but fruitless search in the
Code for ''form," he proceeded to bring
forth from his inner consciousness the
momentous document.
The first difficulty to be surmounted
was the fact that there was not scrap
of writing paper in the house. Not an
ticipating emergencies wherein it would
be required, no stationery had been pro-
vided for official purposes. Unwilling
10 be baked, he tore blank leaf from
the back of the Code, and borrowing a
pencil-for 1t was developed that no pen,
ink or even lead pencil belonged to the
Bently household he sat down, and,
after infinite pains, produced the follow
ing warrant
''taik jaik joans
@. BENTLY, esq.,, j. p"
AS Mr.. Graham received this document,
he asked:
"Who will serve this warrant2"
"You can do it as well as anybody
else, can't you"
81 guess sol Where must take him
toY'
'Bring him here, of course"
"Whenp
ext once--or sooner, If you can find
him."
"All right" and tho Special Constable
LOOK us ichNo.
Our officer now retired, but the Incl
dent of the warrant had unsettled him
somewhat and he vainly courted sleep.
After an hour or two of restles tum-
bling he was about entering dreamland
when there was apother call at the gate.
Going to the door he was again met by
the inquiry:
"Does Squire Bently live herep
Eyes; what do you want2"
1--WE want to get married." was the
rather hesitating and huskily spoken re-
ply.
"Come inl" aud again the official
hauled on his pantaloons, aud out OF
Difference to the occasion a coat was also
donned. BY this time very young man
and shrinking maiden had reached the
doorstep.
"Come right inl Take chairs and sit
down." came from the hearth, where ouI
officer was trying to fan the smoking
embers into flame by blowing on then
with his breath. When this wax &C
complished he arose, brushed the 1us
and ashes of his knees, and, reaching
for his law book, demanded:
care you runaways 2"
eyes, SIR"
whats your names ?"
s'Mine is William Wright, this youni
1T. A.. H.~-~ noul.