Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-12-14

smith at last stripped Kelleck of his
shoes and commenced with his usual
expedition the task of reshoeing.
Three shoes had been nailed to KEEL
leck's ~prancing hoofs when an excla-
nation from the judge drew the atten-
ton of the walters and loafers to a
couple dashing by at high speed in a
familiar sleigh. They were Willis
Wenham and Judge Viewers daugh-
ter Nellie. As they turned up the road
where, two and a half miles distant,
the house of the minister was sssaate
it dawned on the company that they
were witnesses of an elopement.
There was ample time for the angry
judge to overtake the couple, provided
John Grant drove the nails of the
fourth shoe with his customary quick
ness. The judge commanded him to
hurry. Instead of doing so he laid
the shoe down and said that, as he
was a prisoner, working only to oblige
folks, he'd be hanged If he'd do anoth-
er tap of work for a man so low down
as to swear at him. The judge plead
ed and a~pologized in vain. 1t was only
when the young couple returned and
rendered Judge Weaver speechless
with rage by the announcement Of
their marriage that John Grant would
consent to put On the other shoe.
The very next day came an April
thaw. The travelling was so bad that
the prisoners only visitor was Jailer
Gibson, who brought him his meals.
In the night when the blacksmith re-
tired the rain was pouring outside in a
monotonous drizzle. The Pottersville
Jail was situated on the bank of a
small but deep river, and the waters of
this stream were yellOwed and swollen
by the freshet.
In the early hours of the morning
there were a slide and a fall and n
splash. Over into the river went a
section of banking, the Pottersville
jail and the prisoner therein. The
structure did not float far, but ground
ed on the shelving shore opposite the
blacksmith shop where John Grant
had practiced his trade prior to his
latest departure from the narrow path
of sobriety. AS John Grant forced
open the conveniently arranged door
1t occurred to him that at midnight the
sixtieth day of his Imprisonment had
been Completed. His face wore a sat-
isfied smile.
His equanimity was undisturbed the
next morning when Judge Weaver
drove over, furiously accusing him of
stealing the Jail and demanding that
he return 1t to the place he had taken
it from. The easy grin on the features
of the blacksmith grew to broader dt-
mansions.
81 whipped you at lection, judge"
he drawled slowly, IAN you sent me to
that place. Indicating the floating Jail,
when you Lad your turn. Then l
wouldn't put the shoe on your horse
SOS you could stop your daughters
marryin' young Wenham. Now YOU
saw | stole the jail. Judge, its this
way. I've got a chance to sue the
town of Pottersville FIR false imprison-
ment. l ought to have been let out o.
1aiI at II o'clock last night. More'n
that, the jails mine!!"
The judges face grew blank and
purple with amazement-
YES. street The iairs mine. I
didn't go to sea FIR nothin' when l was
young. Pottersville jail is flotsam-
F-L-o-T-S-A-M-an' if the town wants
1t back it'll get it by payin' good
money. An, judge, if you should want
Kelleck shod in a hurry don't frget
I'm dom business at the same OF
standr"