THE DESERTER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 318, 16 November 1880, Page 2

THE DESERTER.

William Mackinaw Johnson, a young man with a very dirty neck, a meek and humble expression from the- nose down, turned up at a farm house about six miles from Detroit the other day, and confidentially informed the farmer that he was an escaped convict from State Prison, with a reward of 200dols. offered for his arrest and return. He had grown tired of wandering around, and asked the farmer to bring him into the city and turn him over to the police. The farmer’s hair stood on end at the prospect of making 200 oola. in half a day. He took William Mackinaw into his house and feasted him on the fat of the land, gave him a clean shirt and a coat, and then har- : eased up, and the two jogged into the city. They had some beer at the first saloon on the road. They had some more at the next, and by and by they put their arms around each other and joyfully sang, “My name it is Joe Bowers, And I have a brother Ike.” By and by the escaped convict announced that they must part, and Ins object—that of securing* ride into the city—had been accomplished- The farmer objected, a fight took place, and both were hauled in by the police. William Mackinaw was simply- an old vag, and the farmer was laughed at and allowed to return home. “You expect to be sent up, don’t you ?” asked bis Honor as the testimony was all m. “ Oh, yes. I’ve got tuckered out with this hot weather." “ How long a sentence do you want ?” “ Well, give me three months, and if I want more I’ll come back. Judge, yog’d have died a laughing to see tjiat farmer’s eyes hang out when I told him there wak a reward of 200dols. on my bead, I don’t want to insult this Court, but I’ve got to laugh—ha !ha!haloht; ho Iho ho J His Honor leaned back and wiped the rivulets off his brow, and the prisoner got his breath and said . “ And such a dinner as he got up for mo ! You’d have supposed I was the biggest King in Europe! I’ll go up three months any tune o’ year for such a dinner