Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-02-20

many speculaUonS as TO whose ghost
ii could be whom the weight of six
feet of clay could not keep down. 1t
was a stout-hearted individual indeed
who dared venture round the back Of
the town among the trees AFTER dark.
Then a whisper ran around, followed
by smile and y laugh which grew TO
Il roar, for the ghost which had kept
everybody indoors for weeks back was
only Alec Marin.
But it was not 10 be expected hat
Alec'S jokes were to he appreciated by
everybody, John Todd. who had a
horse and wagon and kept pig in a
sty close to the roadside in the sub
urbs of the town, determined to put a
stop 10 all such nonsense once and for
ever. John was douce presbyterian,
the sense OF humor having been
omitted in his composition Accord
ingly, when he came up from the
other end of the town one day and met
his own brood SOW adorned with his
own red nightcap, tied securely on its
head and followed by scores ST whoop-
ing and delighted youngsters, not to
mention older people, who stood grim
ming on their doorsteps, he saw 10th
ing whatever TO laugh at. On the
contrary. he dismounted in wrath and
gave chase to the animal, thus increas-
ing the fun, the cheering from the
tcwnstolk driving him almost as mad
as the pig, Next morning Alec Marin
was sent fer by the proper official to
appear before the justice OF the peace
on a charge of theft and trespass,
The trespass, however, was not
proved, 1t having come out in evidence
that the pig had broken out of the pen
and was on the public road when Alec
and some others had encountered him;
and the red nightcap being drying
upon a hedge near by, said hedge be-
ing on the public highway, the temp
tation to tie it upon the SOW and set
her adrft in the town had been too
great to be resisted. 1t was pra"-
teal illustration of the Shakesp ea"ean
exclamation, How oft the sigh If
means to do i'll deeds makes i'll deeds
done"
The laird had great difficulty in
keeping n grave face over the matter.
He thought reprimand with be
enough in this case. Since the night
cap had not been stolen, but merely
attached to the owners properly, no
'harge of purlcinmg could be proved.
What made you think of such a
thing?" demanded the laird.
Il didn't think, ava, said Alec,
looking frankly into the lairds eyes,
weel we tied it.
The onlookers laughed and the JUS
tice scanned the boys face keenly, un-
able to decide whether he ought not 20
commit him for contempt of court.
Then he looked again, this time with
Q look of surprise and bewilderment
and then he said:
Your name is Marin, | see. Where
does your father work."
My fathers dead" said Alec, now
very grave.
"Ah-and your MOTHER
She keeps a shop"
Then don't you think you ought to
be a comfort to her instead of being
brought up here before me on such
charges as these?" said the laird, now
genuinely stem in his rebuke.
You have no business with me and
my mother spoke up the boy
sharply, electrifying all present.
That laddie.' exclaimed witness
in a whisper, hes a perfect toon
terror"
well, you may go, but remember
ii ever you are brought before me
again it VIII not be so easy for you,
said the justice, rising and preparing
to leave.
Alec put on his cap and walked out
John Todd followed, very much dissat-
istied at such a miscarriage OF justice
and declaring that the rising genera
ton neither feared God nor regarded
man.
When the short doChet had been
quiries regarding this bold boy who
bore his own name. He found, to his
surprise, that he was the little child
whom he had SO admired when first
he came to Birka', the son of the
woman who had SO grossly insulted
his wife when she went to call on her.
Well, if he remembered rightly, mis-
wife had told him at the time thai the
woman was viragO; evidently the
boy had come honestly by his bold and
reckless spirit. Still, he was glad he
had discharged him; it was only boy
lsh lark after oil and there was none
of that cringing humility so offensive
to him in the majority Of the cases
brought before him. He was bold,
frank, fearless lad, with clear and
wholesome look about hin, boy he
would find 1t hard to consign to asso-
citation with Jail birds. 4 boy
The laird's thoughts drifted from
Alec away to scenes far, very far from
Birka', and as he walked up the ave
nue. to his own house with his hands
clasped behind his back and his chin
upon his breast he more than once
1T, The IofrJ 10