The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-02-02


hearted old soul who was disposed to
be lenient with Pat. He adjusted his
spectacles and gaZed
with benevolence upon the erring son
of Erin's Isle
Snow, Patrick" said he, "if you will
tell me the whole truth about this mat
ter, why, l may be induced to let you
off easy If there are any mitigating
circumstances want to know them"
"It wure loike this, yer onnor,"
says Pat, "Oi knew iv man wild
wolfe an four chider in the house wid
not clint, the winter nigh an the
rint due. The poor man would be af-
ther seeih' his wolfe and family widout
a home, so he would, and thin freeZ-
in an starvin' to death. So Oh says to
mysilf, Pat says Oi, there is poor
man what needs little help says Oi,
'an' there is that money iv the Hoiber-
mans lyin' idle. Now ON borry
little iv that says Oi, Just enough to
help the poor lad out Nv his trouble, an
pay it back before any wan knows it.
An so Oi did, yer onnor, an Oh wure
arristed fer bein' so jinerous, so Oi
was," he concluded, tearfully.
"'Twas nobly done," said the judge
in voice trembling with emotion as
he furtively wiped away tear. "'Twas
nobly done, and the motive exOnerates
the act The prisoner is discharged"
he said, turning to the constable. "You
may go, Patrick; but stay" he added,
as an afterthought, "what was that
poor mans name!"
"Patrick Dolan, yer onnor," replied
the incorrigible Mick.
The story as~I.retold jtin. my sPeeu-
liar People" was like this: Hans
Kransenbsumer, German of my
acquaintance and who was the leader
of a village brass band, had managed
to get himself into trouble by speculat-
ing from the bands treasury with
which he was intrusted. He was taken
before justice of the peace, an iras-
chile old gent, but capable at times of
sudden impulses of generosity and
outbursts of emotions. After adjust
ing his silver r-bowed spectacles to suit
his fancy, he proceeded to fix his gaze
upon the crestfallen Teuton.
"What have you to say in your
behalf, sir?" he said, addressing the
prisoner "You may tell your side of
the story"
"Id vass lige diss, shure honor" said
Hans. 81 know off a mans vat haf
four shildrens NIT sick wife in der
house, und no moneys und nodings to
cad und der winter CLOSE py und der
house rendt bald not yedt alretty
Hans salt 1, py myself, dot mans
need some helb or his wife und shild-
rens vii die py der hunger und colt
alretty. I vii loan me little moneys
from der pand dreasury und gif dat
mans, und bay him pack to del
dreasury pefore dey finds him ouid.
Und dot iss vat dit, shure honor, und
l am in dis drooble," he wound up
weeping softly.
GA very noble act," said the judge
with suspicious moistness in his
eyes. "The motive excuses the deco
in this case. You are discharged. By
the way" he added, "what was the pool
fellows name?"
"Haas Kransenbaumer," replied tht
unrepentant bandmaster.
1t was with some trepidation that
showed my effort to the future man o.
letters that evening, for, to tell th'
truth, 1 was afraid he might have rea(
the article before and recognize it Al
Bainsworth's. But he evidently hat
not. lie pronounced it good ant
wanted to know if I was not going t.
stake it down." meaning down to SOM
publisher.
T mo, am not" said I, tossing the M
, S. with seeming carelessness into I
J drawer. 81 don't think much of it..
He insisted that / ought to take it dow
as there might be something in it.
did not look at the manuscript agail
for couple of days, but when / did 8
t it did not require Sherlock Holmes t
: see that it had been much handled il
! the interval. I was exultant. M
! scheme. was surely working. Probabl
j | he had already been kicked down hal