The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-08-28
A SPECIAL CODE.

10 ASAN&f AAO "a UAE4NAAANAOA
Of q principle, the most acute logician,
the wisest of all councillors. ID, some
profound thinker took occasion TO re-
mark, like the red light ut the rear end
Of q railway train-it eliminates only
the path gone over. This may not be
the exact wording, the fine shading Of
the profound thinker, but I care not so
much for his wording as for his idea,
not so much for his shading rs for his
truth. Swinging behind Q train which
at times rushes wild through my fancy
there Is q red light, and its dull rays
fall upon . path gone over, a leading
ont from . newspaper. One morning it
came ont, broad In assertion, boastful
in big type, declaring that IL had come
to stay, but ere the afternoon had come
a man whose political pull had put him
into the sheriff's Office as q deputy stood
at the entrance of the counting room
where nothing had been counted-tack-
ing q card ON the door, driving single
nails into the sore breast of q once
buoyant hope. Well, that was all there
was to the paper, and it wasn't much,
surely-an idle lesson learned at lazy
noon--but what followed was an ex-
perience. ! set ont upon a stroll down
through the cypress districts Of west
Tennessee. The weather was charming,
q pink June, and the sun set that even
ing with a glow that promised romantic
adventure. Rain was pouring down q
week later, and romance was nowhere
in sight / went to a barn and lay in
the fodder to wait for it. Lightning
struck the barn, and ! tumbled ont,
stunned, scared half TO death, and took
to my heels across o meadow.
Some one cried stop, and then o gun
went OF. / stopped, and q man ran up
and arrested me. Lightning had set the
barn ON fire, and Of course ] was accused
Of It. / went with the man and stood
neal while he swore out o warrant for
my arrest and then acknowledged that
/ was aware that I was In custody. By
this time q number of furious citizens
had arrived, and ] began to feaF lest
they might not wait For the slow proc
esses OF the Law. My experiences with
the daily newspaper had taught me
something Of legal procedure, and !
asked the justice il ] might have q
change Of venue.
Whats that?'' he asked.
Thank you for . change Of venue, z
said ].
This set them all a-laughing. had
never asked for such q thing before and
did not know the exact wording. L felt
sure that ] couldn't miss it If Lwera
only polite. But I did miss it and they
poked merciless jests at my ignorance.
After awhile court was called to order,
mirth was put aside, and / was told
that the charge against me was exceed
ingly serious; that + must defend my
self or spend much Of my future time
in prison. ~ have but q very short de-
fense.n said ]. 1.-THE truth is that !
didn't set fire to the barn. / had no
matches about me, and ] was too wet
when ! went in there to set fire to any
thing. The things were set on fire by
lightning.
1--WE grant all that, you honor, 2 re-
piled the man who had taken the prose-
cution OF the case, t'but what right had
he in the barn? And besides let him
prove that the lightning would have
struck the barn il he hadn't been in
there. To my certain knowledge, this
barn has been standing for the last 20
years, and I can prove that IL was never
struck before. It is well known in
science that certain people attract light
ming. and the law plainly says that dur
ing showers these people should keep
ont of barns"
Yes, SIR" answered q lank man at
the rear end of the room.
You studied science for a number Oh
years, didn't your
II was professor Of it for q long time.
SIR"
well, can you tell by examination
whether or not q man il IN a~ttractor Of
Eghtning?''
II ought to, sir. for I was examiner
for this part of the state.
"Will you please step up and examine
this man?"
NNAbA PAEnSAAEp cAs SN4A&S
He examined my hair, rubbed my
head and then shook his own. II should
say, sir, that this would be q mighty
dangerous man to. be near while light.
ming is flashing around"
Then, sir, in view OF the fact thai
this barn was never before struck BIZ
lightning, would you be willing to give
10 as your opinion that the prisoner was
the cause of the-well, well say acct.
dent?'s
II certainly give that opinion, sir.
well then, your honor, 4 continued
the prosecutor, there Is but little more
to do. OF course this man cannot helT
his unfortunate attraction for lightning
bat, then, neither can d mad dog heiI
being mad. il will now leave him 4
you.
The Justice sat gravely thinking.
am very sorry, " said he, that such !
case has been brought before me. r did
not make the laws. + am simply d serv
ant placed here 10 execute them. Yog
appear to be d young man Of promise
and this arraignment Ii exceedingly IN
fortunate. Have you anything I'd say?s