Maybe it's a reflection of these forgiving times, of public apologies and celebrity confessions, of DNA testing, talk shows and tell-all memoirs. But after 126 years of humiliation and scorn, of having her name dragged through the mud by both history books and cruel limericks, absolution has come, finally, for Mrs. O'Leary's celebrated cow. Daisy, you see, was done wrong.

The Chicago City Council officially said as much today with its resolution exonerating both O'Leary and Daisy of touching off the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The legendary conflagration burned down a third of the city, killed 300 people and left another 100,000 homeless.

While she was never accused in court, ...