Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-02-02
he Judges Son
by RICHARD S. GRAVES.
IcAJAH BoLEAN had been a

HH ASEAJ<1I1 oOLEAAN Idu DCtu al
wi justice of the peace many years,
and nobody had ever questioned his
right to hold the Office the remainder
of his life. for he "a a cripple. Year
after year his name was on the ballots
at every election and he was not OPP
posed after the first year.
Another man had made the race
! against him the first time he was q can
didate for the office. and it was said
that his opponent did not receive a sin
gle vote. No other candidate for the
place could be found after that. and
nobody but Micajah Bolean wanted the
Office.
"He Knows nothing but justice" the
strangers used to be told. He sent his
Owl boy to Jail once. and the migrate
full little wretch ran away from home
and never came back"
The office Of the justice of the peace
was over a grocery store and his home
was on 8 quiet street where his wife,
a sad faced woman with streaks Of
gray in her brown hair, busted herself
all day with her household duties. 1t
was plain that some great sorrow had
befallen her at some time in her life.
There was nj trace OF sorrow on the
face of the justice of the peace. espe'
cially when he had once turned it in
the direction of his home. He had al
ways said that he knew right from
wrong, and when he stated that any.
thing was, right nothing on earth could
change him. He was as firm as a rock.
He had been firm the day he sentenced
his W son to jail. and that tirmness
was with him still.
The boy had contended that he was
innocent OF the charge against him
that he had been lighting in self-de-
fense--but the firm old magistrate be-
lieved The evidence of other witnesses
and would not listen to him. He had
made UP his mind and refused to
change 1t. ,TheEbo threatened that II
his father sen him to jail he would
3eave home and never return. and the
threat had some bearing on the case.
II was true that he had been a good
boy and gave promise OF being a good
man. Even his stern father was forced
10 make that admission when he ar
gued with himself and tried to Justify
his action.
In the Office OF the justice OF the
peace there was an old table Uttered
With books and papers. and over all the
dust OF years had settled. When d law
suit wa tried there at long Intervals,
the dust was brushed away by the use
that was made OF the tables. but the
hooks and papers were not disturbed.
The edges OF the papers were frayed
56d, ragged, and they were all yellow
Nth, age. Sometimes the pile was
moved a little by some Il slipping 4
sheet of foolscap out to- make a memoir
andGm. On the table was a copy OF the
statutes with Il Of the covers
torn on and many OF the pages missing.
In the corner stood the stove. from which
the ashes leaked the whole year through.
In summer it was the receptacle for
trash, and the lower section was always
a Sbittoon.
THE bench was represented by the long
behind which the justice sat. and
IN front of him had been cleared a SINAI!
space among the aged, dust-covered
papers.
= In the pigeon holes Of the tall case
pat stood against the wall were papers
nat human eyes had not seen for %
esrs--parts of the record in forgotten
i ~ suits, and unpaid fee bills Of cases
which the litigants were long since
= lad. The window shades were frayed at
h lower end and could not be moved up
down. When 1t was desired to keep
"a sunlight out, newspapers were
ned across the windows.
10 was in the old wall case, among the
bers that had been touched and turned
Aow BY the hangbof time, that Micajah
Nan found, while searching n day
~ lost document. the picture of a boy.
boxed at it cdriously at first, for his
10 was dim and he did not recognize
Then he turned II toward the light
4 pushed his spectacles up on his
f9e.
3 a moment he stood there unmoved.
hined by the irmness that had been
lifelong pride. Somebody opened
door as he fell TO the floor, uttering
ROarse cry. like an animal that had
given a death wound, and with the
ne clasped in his hand.
as a picture of the boy he had sent
h-a boy with laughing blue eyes
hair that curled about his forehead.
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Pie home In which sTicaiah Bolean
wed was a great contrast to his dingy
flee, for 1t vas clean and as free from
ust as the willing hands Of his wife
ould make IL. Trees grew around it