St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-05-02
From { ASSET = Magazine
Men Who Face Death


IllE fbl-I' lNA\.
Don't You 90 and make any mistake,
The pictures in the comic papers. and
all the rest of the Jokes about police
men. may all Toe very well in THEN way.
and | can laugh myself at Il good Joke
at the expense of the Force. but tnI all
that there l. not aS much in them a.
some of the would hc sharp ones make
out. Most of cm are a. stale as they
well can he. and though for anything
know they may have been to the point
some time. they amt now -l-day>. not
10y Il long way. There's a saving about
life not being all beer and >kittlc>. and
N"u may take my word for il that life
amt all cupboard c"uIt>hip t"I Il p"-
liccman. Even if he had the inclination
Ton it. his >rIrrrinr> would take precious
good care that he didn't spend his time
on duty making love /" cooks and feed
in@ i'll gcntlrmcu'> Kitchens That may
Ice very we'll i'll Il pantominc fish and
c:til"t> are: and. whatever people may
think. policeman don't always come M
iu>t when Il fight i over. and it isn't
only women and little hul> that they
collar should like I" see some of them
that talk that way have To tackle some
VI lIl' 'll>lbIIl'l> ltlil We nave lsI 40 :.
they ii mighty >"nm alter thrir tome.
expect. Why. taking ii all through
there's few businesses ;l> are more risky
than a P"licrman'> In plenty of neigh
holh""d> he goes on duty with his life
Ill his hand. People read and talk
Ihuut the dangerous GLASSES. hm it j.
the policeman that has /" deal with
era. and it, him IL knows h0W danger
"u> thcl ale. Ih,y know whether it'>
only W"mcl. "I boys that We collar ::
they know " Ia" LAYS them lay the heels
and they Icmrmhcr it. with a ven
gcaIcC. ''RrNcIrgc l. sweet i a motto
with II good many of them. and when
they ,Ic loose, they will often 20 u long
Wal to have il nu the man thal hae
been the mcHn> "t caGim" them that
WIS how | came hl the. cash GA -, "ll
rhr side "i my face here.
had got Il customer tU" Nc;I> ion
~irIliug lead. and | Wa> one of those
that escorted him Ia the van after h,.
WAS sentenced. and a~ We passed along
he %r"WI~ "itt /" me under his breath.
~ "u'Nr scored 1hi> chalk. hut on may
lay ANY "dd> Ihat I'll >r"rr the nr\t. if
! have +" die ion it,
| cuUl,i tell that he meant what he
said. and h"r" ii in mind. When he
WIS ont again. kept we'll on my guald
whenever | >aw him lurking ih"it hut
at length he was To" sharp for me
uur rather i"g@N niglI was passing
the top "t Il duk >idr-~trrct when
hearing Il rush. wheeled round ~
quickly H. | could bat il wa> to" late.
| just caught sight II the >couudrcl
making Il swinging hit at me with -
hottie tied III Il handkerchief. and the
NEXT instant was stretched >cu>clcS>.
! shall carry the mani of the blow tu
the grave with me. H. You may see. and
il wa> pretty nigh carry ing me- L" the
grave: | WAS within half an inch OF
death. H. N0u may >aN. tnI if il had
been halt an inch more on the temple it
would have been an end "f me is it
WIS. il laid me up for about three
months but beyond marking me it did
me no permanent harm.
When got on duty again ~lid
nothing. hrIt made up my mind that
there should hc Il third chalk to the.
game between me and the fellow that
struck tine blow. He had boltrd ~
soon as he had done it. and hadn't been
heard of since but for all that felt
quite sure he would turn up in his old
lurk again. sooner or later. for his wife
and all his companions were there. 80
| watched and watched. and >Iuc
enough 1T the end of Il couple of wears
| spotted him again. ! found out that
he had only been back ii week when |
caught sight of him. and 50 ! didn't Try
to tiutter the ne>t too soon. ! let three
months 90 by. 50 that he might think
h, WAS all right. and then | went i'll to
score my next chalk.
reported him. and half Il dozen of
lis were told oil to take him. Three
went into the house after him. NV" kept
watch in the front. and took my stand
at the back. the way he Was likeliest to
come if he managed to make Il run of
it. A. it turned out. he did make Il
run. ur ut any rate he got ii start.
1t WIS Il Iow-huilt house. and before
those VIII" went in could get upstairs
he dropped ont of the bedroom win
dow. coming down safely on his feet
but before he could take to his heels |
was facing him, my right hand holding
my staff ready drawn behind my back
my left hand ready to collar him.
"Oh, its You, iS il , he grin,l> out
betwccn his teeth. and before could
say il word ol move an inch, he had
whipped out large clasp-knife.
could see murder in his eye. and 50 |
dashed in at once To seize him but be
fore l could lay hold OF him he had