The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-05-28
1osbua peters=='Mero.
~~~~

There were Few people In Cn0 Deautl-
full little city of NJ who had a
worse reputation than Joshua Peters. {
He was a lazy, good-for-nothing sort
of chap whose personal appearance
aroused nothing but contempt. Oc-
casionally he would 90 to work, but he
never kept at it very long. Everybody
called him "Josh," because he was SO
out of tune with his surroundings, and
looked SO trampish and was so un-
communicative. Whenever anything
was stolen, Josh was always to be the
first one suspected of committing the
deed.
The night the hardware store was
burgalized of several hundred dollars
worth of cutlery, the officers at once
proceeded to Mr.. Peters house and
made a careful search of the premises.
They found Josh asleep. On awaken
ing him they questioned him closely,
but they might just as we'll have ad-
dressed their remarks to the battered
cook-stove that stood in one corner of
the room, as Josh was as little interest
ed in their talk as was the vagabOnd
cat that slept under the bed. The of
6cers then examined the bed, the floor,
and went over the place with fine
tooth comb, but nothing rewarded their
search. Just over the casing on the
inside of the door they noticed a dou-
ble row of wishbones. However, this
find shed no light on the missing cut
iery, but it furnished clue that was
the undOing of poor Josh.
People in the neighborhood of Josh's
home had often missed chicken or
two, but they always attributed their
loss to dogs. AS Josh never kept any
chickens nor was never known to buy
any, it did not take the officers very
dong to surmise where those wishbOnes
came from. A close watch was kept
on Josh's night movements, and it was
not long before he was caught with
two fat pullets on his person. The
evidence was conclusive. He was held
to the grand jury. When his trial took
place he made no defense nor even
consulted with the attorney the court
appointed, but pied guilty and was
given a year and six months in prison.
Everyone seemed to think that Josh
deserved the sentence. They thought
that the prison term would put little
ginger into his movements. No one
had word of sympathy for him, and
as far as the city was concerned, it
would have displayed the same indif'
ference if he had been sent to hades
for bucket Of water.
We shall pass what transpired dur
ing his sojourn behind the walls of the
penitentiary. When he returned he
was the same shiftless, uncOncerned
chap as formerly. The feeling agains,
him was more intensified than before
for he now had the brand of ex-con
vict suffixed to his unsavOry reputa
&ion. Josh was not vicious charactel
by any means. His wants were few
aud he eat the poorest of fare. Per
haps it was his self-suficiency tha
gritted on the peoples nerves, for ht
possessed nothing and only earned
enough to supply his frugal wants
1t is true that he occasionally "bor
rowed" one of his neighbor's chickens
but this was no sign that he was NOR
ally depraved. He simply lacked am
bition-the get-there spirit of the ag
in which he lived. He knew that n
one cared rap for him, so he live
alone and apart from others.
One bright summer day just as tn
evening was drawing to close, tn
ding-dong of the fire bell disturbe
the usual serenity of the peaceful cit!
Ding-ding-ding it went with frightfr
rapidity calling the department to th
scene of danger. Everywhere me
were running in the direction of th
f1re and asking each other where an
what was burning. Occasionally th
bell would stop its frightful ringin
and slowly toll the number of the war
in which the fire was located, thus d
recting the people to the scene {
action. The mayors house was burr
dng and among the first to arrive o
the premises was Josh Peters. q