Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 140, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1913 — HAPPENINGS IN THE CITIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HAPPENINGS IN THE CITIES

Court’s Unique Mascot Lights on Judge’s Nose

BALTIMORE, Md.—The Broyles has a unique pet. Dogs, cats, birds, roosters and other such commonplace pets are wholly outclassed. You’ll never guess, so here goes Tor the answer — The Recorder’s world-beating, prize pet Is a fly—just an ordinary germ carrying, disease spreading pestiferous house fly—and his name is “Pete.” The fly, it might be added, didn’t possess this classy monicker until it became acquainted with the recorder. It might also be added further that '‘Pete" is not only a prime favorite with Judge Broyles, but with all of the police court attaches. Pete is "the court fly.” And through the medium of Pete’s characteristic fly affection for the courtroom and its attaches, Judge Broyles insists that he has disproved the time honored theory that flies are short-lived. As “Pete” lazily lounged on the judge’s left ear at the close of police court, he remarked —the judge did: “ “Ail of this talk about flies living but a short time is all bosh. ‘Pete’ here has punctured that theory. ‘Pete’

has been right here in the courtroom with us all winter, and he doesn’t appear any nearer his end today than he did at the beginning of last fall, when I first began to notice him. He’s a bit lazier, I believe, but that’B all. “I don’t know how old he is now, but he looks as though he would live to a ripe old age.’ 1 Recorder Pro Tern. Preston suggested that Pete's age might be determined if the recorder would make an examination and ascertain if Pete had whiskers, and, if so, their color. Judge Broyles, however, promptly assured Judge Preston he was satisfied a fly’s age would not Bhow in its whiskers. Pete lived in the warmth of the police courtroom throughout the winter. If any other flies were there they kept well within cracks and other places. Pete alone venture forth. It was this daring of a lone fly that first attracted the recorder’s notice, and he began to watch and study it. He called the attention of other court attaches to the fly, and then they all watched it. When Judge Broyles would ascend the bench for the mOrning or afternoon sessions, the affectionate fly was right on the job, taking its place on the judge’s desk or on the judge’s head. It also became very. friendly with Judge Preston, frequently reposing on his nose —as It did also with Court Investigator Ed Arthur and Court Officer George Cornett. When Judge Broyleß became convinced that this daily fly visitor wns one and the same fly, he christened it.