The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-04-02
(Communicated,)

Communicated
al will plain unvarnished tale relate" -0thello.
Fined three dollars and costs; in all, the
| sum of seven dollars and sixty five cents.
For what? Simply the man was neither in
sane, drunk nor disorderly, but, having been
| arrested through the stupidity of an over
| Jealous and addlepated policeman this mod
| ern Dogberry thought his official dignity re-
quired a victim, and his purse needed to be
| replenished therefore, regardless of who
| might be the party, orofthe injustice inflicted,
took three dollars for the city (ostensibly)
and four dollars and sixty-fve cents for him.
self and the policeman. Having extorted
| the money, and admonished the culprit to
depart, with an air that seemed to say the
majesty Of the law is now indicated and l,
Dogberry, have done it,
He quietly sinks to rest,
With all his party wishes blest.
But why was not this case reported in the
Official Organ, and why, In particular, when
attention was called to it in the columns of
the ARGUS, is it still ignored and unexplain-
ed?
A simple statement of the facts of the
case, may perhaps serve to enlighten the
public respecting this studied silence.
A stranger, giving his name as Donpher,
anu n EeSiutut Vi AoWb, Is pdSSAuR tufOuSH
the city. Waiting the arrival of a boat 70
take passage down the river, and while at
our levee, intent on this purpose only, he
hears near by crowd of urchins in bolster
Gus sport often profaning the name of the
Deity, and indulging in such language as is
| at all times offensive, not only to the feel
| ings and sentiments of christian, but to
| the ear of every gentleman. With the laud-
able desire of restraining the Juveniles from
| such an evil practice. and animated with the
hope that word of good advice may have
happy effect in teaching a better code of
morals, he simply reproves the boys forswear-.
ing, and tells them the habit is neither manly
nor commendable, in fact profane swearing
il sin against God. Perhaps the young
sters were wholly unused to instructions of
this kind; POSSIBLY they had never before
heard it intimated that swearing is not a
virtue, that it in no way gives force to the
expressiveness of language, and is derog-
| atory to true dignity and q good reputation,
perhaps they were so accustomed TO hear
| their seniors employ this kind Of speech that
| they not only deemed IL admissible buteven
| necessary to the standing and character of
Young America as representatives of their
Fathers. Be this as it may, the stranger
gently reproves them for their forbidden hab-
| it. and at once they seem amazed, and in
| establishment they gather around him, in the
belief that one who could utter snch unac-
customed words was crazyi And now
comes policeman, q guardian of the lew,
| conservator of the public peace and morals,
and be hears the story that stranger has
presumed to rsprove the boys Of this moral
city for swearingl Was such thing ever
heard of before pa stranger presuming to
speak to our boys upon the subject Of morals?
The thing was truly preposterous surely the
man must be crazy, and forthwith he hur-
ries the rash and ventursome stranger away
| from the scene of his ill-timed labor of love,
and incarcsrates him in the county jail to
ruminate at his leisure upon the uncertain
| ty of earthly things and the prosecutions
| which the righteous are destined to endure
for Truths sake.
| But change is written upon all things
earthly. even prosecutions abate and have
their periods of subsistence, and the stranger
| finds on the morrow that he is about to be
once more without the walls of his prison
| and to be remanded to the Hall of Justice
for hearing Escorted and aided by the
puissant arm of his captor, the Valorous Po
| liceman, he is ushefed into the sacred and
awful presence of Police Court where sits
the modern Dogbery of great renown.
Dogberry.-What was this man arrested
| for.
Vdl. Pol.-Because thought he was era
~: Ea
| Dogbery.-Was he daunk?
| Val. Pol.-No, he was not
Dogbery.-Did you think he had been
drinking? 1 - 49,
Val. Pol--Yes, from the smell Of his
breath thought he had.
Deqberry.-WelI, was he drunk.
Val. Pol.-(not yet taking the hint Yes.
Dogbe77y-Where did you find him?
Val Poi. = On the levee among .
crowd Of boys.
Dogberry.-You say he was drunk, do
Val PoL-(Beginning to take} No |
couldn't say he was drunk, but 4 could smell
tRis bre1tA.. 5 ~@ ss @@
| Dogberry.--(To the prisonerl what is your
name
| Prisonr-Donpher. -. I
| Dogberry, you consider yourself in
sane? $780,.
| Rrisoner-(S Smiling, replied.modestly) No
SIR, do not.
Undergraduates do think you are.
Are you q catholic priest? EE
Prisoner. sir. EEkf
Degberss Where are you goingf
Prisoner. Down the river. fT
Dogbervy.-(To Val. Poll Was this man
: making disturbance? af
| Tal. Pol---Nothing, only talking to the
boys about swearing. @A -
Dogberry.-tT To theprisoner) The court will
fine you as little as possible. Give me Ga
fine and $4,65 as costs. k
:. Prisomer.-May it please the Court, my
Jailor took away from me all my money,
and you have it there before you. 1t is all
| have to continue my journey with. trust
yon will permit me to resain enough to pay
my passage. .s 1sss,7 g1
, Dogbery.-Go to. The Court will take
81 IS, and if the remainder is not enough
for you; You have plenty of friends in town
go to them. Depart, and be careful hereaf