The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-23
AWAKENING OF JUDGE BAKER.

MS honor by the Legal Light Club. and
/ his whole appearance -adiated satisfac-
/ ton with himself and the whole world. He
! had attained the height OF his political
ambition. was recently married TO the
woman OF his choice and enjoying life in
/ the beautiful homo he had planned and
/ built. His health ana temper were uni
/ foImIy good and what more OF fortune :
( iavors could he reasonably expect Tile
/ judge was both contented and grateful.
! Yet that very morning he had received
an anonymous letter threatening fis life.
I He knew II was from the pal of a GRIM
( inal he had sent 10 the penitentiary. and
ii did not cause him a moment OF anxiety,
/ but he had left his wife in tears. She
{ had bought him siiyer-mcunted revol-
yer ard begged him TO go armed And he
had laughed at her fears and refused
TO carry tbs weapon:
You would make me a lawbreaker
Myrtle'' he said. by causing me To carry
concealed weapons. l am used To threats
and am not afraid Of them. Those fei-
lows know that they are guilty and de
serve all they get, ana they know. too
that / am too old a BIRD 10 be caught
mapping. and not one OF them dares 10
look me IN the eye. They can only threat
en- and buster at a safe distance by mail
Besides. IL l am TO be marked for sac
riiice | Will fall in the track of duty
So Judge Baker carried with him on
his trip neither weapons nor worries He
threw off every care and was genial AT
! heart as he was in appearance. As he
was speeding along on the Omaha express
ne gave himself up to the prospect of
freedom and enjoyment of the next few
/ days So absorbed was he in his own
! pleasing thoughts that the man who was
sharing his seat between sections and
asked him for the correct time twice be-
fore he knew he was being addressed
Then the judge pulled out the massive
soid watch, which vas present from
admiring political friends and had the
miniature of a beautiful woman-his wife
painted ON the inside Of the ccvef
Ten minutes slow, am I?'' That ac-
counts for me being late at the station.
Are YOU sure'-he compared his watch
with the other man's-',do ne lose time
going east or gain =
That depends on how far west you
live or have travelled. Omaha? There
is no difference in the time between ON
aha and Chicago. My watch is eccentric
ana l cannot depend upon it. but / guess
within three minutes either way of the
right time
An English timepiece?' said the Judge,
looking at the watch curiously * here
nave / seen that watch before? 1t re-
sembles one that belonged to my gro nd
father. The old gentleman left 1t to me-
Permit nne?''
The Judge held out his hand intending
70 take the watch for inspection. but his
request was evidently not heard. as the
owner of the tmepiece returned ii to his
pocket in peremptory fashion.
i Wonder if he takes me for a con
man. thought the judge. humorously.
then. as his seat mate was not taikariye
ne leaned his head against the cushions
and cogitated on the speech he would
make in answer to the teast 10 whicf, he
would be asked 10 respond. He hal
reached the point where he would fer
vently address the brilliant assemhlage
as My honorcd colleagues of the bar
when he felt touch on mis- arm. and was
suddenly addressed by his comranica.
observe those two men across the
aisle. Shameful: shameful! That ooy in
cadets uniform is being confdenced by
that mar who has his back .urned to-
wards US. / have been watching the fel-
low and am satisfied he has played some
kind Of . skin game on the boy Hear
that
The cadet was pleading in youthful.
passionate voice for the return of some
object the man talking to him held in
his hand and which was effectually con-
cealed from observation by his position
Give it back. 1 tell YOU" whimlered
the cadet; u don't mind losing the money,
but give back my mothers watch; you
card sharp. you thief
Where is the conductor? VIII no one
save that poor boys watcE?" demanded
the nan sitting with the judge. who had
no wish to get into any judicial scrim-
mage. ard was annoyed 10 find himself
in II too familiar criminal element out
OF business hours
Ans ther cry from the boy determined
the Judges fellow passenger to take part
in the affair TIE express was going
Up for 2 station. and the, man who had
the cadets watch in his hand, the ckain
Cangiing from his fingers. made a rush
for the door. pursued by the cadet bawl-
ing stop thief" and close in pursuit
il0urishing revolver. followed the in
ferested passenger who had drawn the
judges attention to the outrage.
"Stop. thief. stop. thief.' he shouted as
he ran; stop. or I'll fill you with lead
ou shall not rob that bog OF his mothers
watch. Give it back of I'll fire. d you"
Through the pande.nonium which fol-
lowed the judge never moved from his
seat. Indeed, the whole transaction was
over in 4 fiashlight, and the passengers
Vho had ducked their heads had not lift
Ell them wnen the train was moving
away from the station. No report of "A
revolver had sounded, and the indignant
passenger had not returned when the
conductor walked through the car. Ha
was hesiegod by questions.
rid the boy get his watch7'
Is there danger of being murder
Why do Won allow such a thing 70 hap
reag''
Did the man with the revolver shoot?"
This last question the conductor an
swered. No. he didn't shoot. lie didn
20 . Ill
bluff.
What do YOU mean" asked the judge.
sitting upright ard beginning 10 look
interested. ..ycu don't suspect that he
was one Of the gang
That's Just what, Judge Baker" an
swered the conductor. who was a follow
townsmar. of he Judge Il would have
given YOU the wink. but I was surc YOU
Knew the fellow that was sitting NTH
vou. My. judge. YOU gave him ten wears
for robbery. and - stole watch from
YOUR pocket Remember that? n ID D.
doing time yet. bat he got free through
some political hccrs-pocrs. He knew you
all right And that cadet was stool (
pigeon.
WHY didn't you pr, them OF the
train asked the judge severely.
Couldn't til we stopped ~ a station /
was hunting for a policeman IL the r
IL ttt fAte-aA tliS- tf4tFi- hsH-f-1 aittG At-tf
get ny swag this time-but wssut the
trick carried oct cleverIy2 Tha nerve 81 /
the fellow 70 sis down alongside or GU, i
Judge Bake laughed. Then hc mo
chauicailv put his hand into his pocket {
His presentation watch was gone 50 4
was Tire the big rcil of bsiIs that Wa
intended for his Chicago expense monev. I
For once the judge rad been caught nan
ping MRS. N. l. KAYNt.
Reflections Of Bachelor.