434 



RECREATION 



great horns and snorted fiercely. The deer 

 stamped and blew, the bob-cats snarled 

 savagclv and the other animals voiced their 

 feelings in their own way. 



Poor Stephen was cringing in his pen, 

 these terrible words pounding in his ears, 

 from such an accuser, and all of which he 

 knew was the truth. But what did it all 

 mean? Where and how did these beasts 

 become possessed of such a power? He 

 tried to reason it out, to think that it all 

 must be a wild dream, but no, there it all 

 was, sure enough, before him, in a fearful 

 reality. 



"Does any one else know aught of this 

 man?" continued the judge, when order 

 was restored. 



"Your Honor," bellowed the moose, "he 

 has killed one, at least, of my kind, and has 

 wounded and persecuted many others. I 

 know that he is every day in the woods, 

 when he ought to be at work on his farm. 

 His property is going to ruin, his wife work- 

 ing to support herself and child, and his 

 neighbors are helping her. He is as able 

 and skilled in farming as any one, but he 

 does nothing but hunt and fish, and no one 

 has been able to turn him from his destruc- 

 tive course." 



There was another wild outbreak in the 

 room, and terrible were the eyes turned on 

 Stephen, wincing, grovelling in his pen, at 

 these shameful additions to the charges 

 against him. 



"Deer," resumed the court, "what do 

 you know about this man?" 



"Your Honor," timidly bleated the deer, 

 " he has killed dozens of us. We seem to be 

 his special mark. Our lives are those of 

 terror, because of him. He is always in the 

 woods, pursuing — " 



"Enough," roared the judge. "This is 

 infamous! Now, who is there here to 

 testify in his behalf that can say any good 

 of him?" 



All was silent as the tomb. Not one 

 voice responded to this appeal. 



Stephen was almost fainting with terror, 

 at the awful situation. All eyes were turned 

 upon him. 



"Stephen Gilkins," began the Court, 

 "you have heard these serious charges. 

 What have you to say for yourself? Are 

 they true or false?" 



It was an extreme moment. Stephen's 

 knees refused to support him. When he 

 finally dragged himself to his feet he reeled 

 and clutched the side of his pen. He strug- 

 gled to force his tongue to articulate, "Oh, 

 Mr. Bear, Mr. Judge," he wailed, "I— I 

 don't know what it all means — who — eh — 

 what you are. I — oh, yes, of course, I have 

 hunted and fished, put I didn't know that — " 



"No," thundered the judge. "You didn't 

 know, I suppose, that we animals have feel- 

 ings, that we love our wives, brothers and 

 sisters, the same as human beings. Yes, 

 better than you seem to, for we do not leave 

 our wives and children for our neighbors to 

 support." 



"But I am not the only one, Mr. Judge. 

 Others besides me go fish — " 



"Yes, it is true they do," growled the stern 

 inquisitor, "but do they spend their whole 

 time at it, and neglect everything belonging 

 to them, as you do ? " 



"No, oh no," wailed Stephen, "but if 

 you'll only let me go now, I'll — oh, I'll — " 



"Well, what will you do ? " said the judge. 



" Oh, I'll do anything, anything!" 



"Yes, but why should We let you go now, 

 when we've got you ? Why should we not 

 eat you, as you do us, those of us that eat 

 flesh?" 



Pandemonium now broke loose among 

 the animals. "Order!" roared the bear at 

 the door, and the judge pounded on the 

 desk. 



Stephen's agony was intense, but he 

 thought he saw a ray of hope, that this 

 great beast might yet somehow be more 

 merciful to him than he had been to his 

 kind. He fell to his knees and poured forth 

 his repentance, and promised to do better, 

 begging piteously for another trial, and he 

 would never again molest any living thing 

 of the wood and water. 



There was a moment's silence. Then the 

 awful judge rose in giant black stature. 



"Well, Stephen Gilkins," he said, "I have 

 a mind to try you. If I do, will you promise 

 this court to go to work at once, to plant 

 your crops, redeem your buildings, fences 

 and tools, clothe your family and work until 

 everything belonging to you looks as well as 

 any man's in town ? " 



"Yes; yes; oh, yes," gasped Stephen. 



"Do you promise never to think of going 



