The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-03-05
A PETTY
IYRANI
By MARGARET BARR

by the AuStrlanS much as we Amerl-
cans celebrate the Fourth of July.
On one of these anniversaries two
ladies were walking on a street in
Milan. They were Austrian tourists of
high degree, one of them the Countess
Omega. Being citizens of that empire
which had lost its hold on Italy, it is
not to be expected that they would feel
any sympathy with the celebration.
= While passing some persons who
were firing explosives a man set off a
pack of f1recrackers, several of which
snapped on to the countess dress, burn
ing holes in it She was in no mood
for such a misfortune and resolved on
being revenged on the Italian who had
occasioned it Calling on a policeman,
she showed him the damage that had
been done. pointed to the perpetrator
and demanded his arrest. that she
might recover demages. The policeman
agreed to do her bidding if she would .
accompany them. She consented, and .
the three went to the station, which .
happened to be only block away.
The officer in charge suggested that
since the judge before whom the case
would be tried was then holding court /
and the ladies desired to leave Milan
the next morning they go at once be- /
fore him and see If they could not get
it disposed of without delay. This
pleased the irate countess, and they
went to the courtroom.
Now, a gentleman who had been
walking the streets enjoying the cele-
bration had witnessed the accident and
followed the parties first to the police
station and thence to the courtroom.
/ There he listened with marked atten-
ton to the proceedings. The lady
+ claimed that the dress was worth 1000
/ Ira, or 5000 She had bought it in
Milan only the day before and sum-
moned the merchant who sold it to her
to bear witness to the price paid. This
established her claim. and, as to the
man who had burned it. he confessed
that he had done so, but accidentally.
The judge ordered him to pay for the
dress, but he said that he was work
/ man and without any means whatso-
ever.
He offered to bind himself to pay
by installments. but the lady. who was
revengeful rather than needy. declined
to accept such terms. The judge there
upon said that in default of payment
and costs the poor fellow must go to
Jail until he could raise the money.
Then said the man. 81 shall have
to remain in Jail, for there is no pos
sible way in which can raise such a
sum except by working for it, and
need all can earn to support myself
and my family"
The judge endeavored to persuade
the lady to be lenient. but she declared
that the man could pay if he would.
and she would make no compromise.
I'm that case" said the judge, Il
have no discretion in the matter but to
send the man to Jail"
AT this point the gentleman who had
followed the party stepped forward
and said to the judge. "I win pay the
lady the 1000 Ira she paid for the
dress. but in that case it will be mine.
I will it not?'
f The judge ruled that it would. The
lady. whose ire had had time to cool,
I seemed willing TO accept the solution,
: and the stranger. taking out a pocket
. book. handed her the money and paid
. the costs, Then he said:
e Judge, | know who this lady is, for
t l have met her at court in Vienna
though she does not remember me
0 Her ire at the man who unintention
: ally burned her dress was occasioned
by the fact that our people are today
celebrating the expulsion OF our for
- mer masters. her countrymen. She has
: treated the unfortunate man with grea
rigor. and l propose to be equally ex
>, acting. The dress she wears is mine
Y and l demand it Immediately"
o The couAess. somewhat abaShed a
d this speech. said that she would de
liver the dress as soon as she could e
to the hotel and replace it with anoth
! er one.
a you refused" said the stranger, st,
y give this man time, and l refuse t,
give you time. I demand my prop
N erty."
ID The lady looked at the judge t
Is learn if he would support that demand
'e The judge had already recognized tn
stranger and with great Difference t
Mt him said that he had right to compe
er the immediate delivery Of his prop
u erty.
II ''WhatP' exclaimed the countess. ID
you mean to force me to disrob
here?"
re You showed no mercy" replied tn
~ purchaser. land will show 20
ne none"
IL And if refuse your insolent de
bv mandP she asked. looking again at th
he Judge
II shall send you to JAIL" replied tn
- latter
\ There was a knot that only the pul
vn chaSeT could cut he u1d II Dy maxim
MS the lady an offer Of her dress for &c
he Ira. Since she must either accept 1t {
en- appear in public without 1t she al
en- grily consented The stranger took til