The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-05-24
MEN WHO FACE DEATH.
The Policeman,
From Cassell's Magazine.


From Cassell's Magazine
Don't you go and make any mistake.
The pictures IN comic papers, and all
the rest of the jokes about policemen,
may all be very well in their way, and
| can laugh myself at a good joke at
the expense of the force, but for all
that there are not as much in them as
some of the would be sharp ones make
out. Most of 'em are as stale as thev
can be, and though for anything l
know they may have been to the point
some time, they amt nowadays, not
by o long way. There's a saving about
life not being all beer and skittles, and
you may take my word for it that life
| ain'tall cupboard courtship for police
man. Even if he had the inclination
for it, his superiors would take pre-
cious good care that he didn't spend
his time on duty making love to cooks
| and feeding III gentleman's kitchens.
That may be very well in a pauto-
| mime, but it's about as much
the real thing as pantomime
fish and carrots are; and,
| whatever people may think, policemen
don't always come up just when q fight
is over, and it isn't only women and
| little boys that they collar-I should
| like to see some of them that talk that
way have to tackle some of the custo
mers that we have TO do; they'd mighty
soon alter their tone, [ expect. Why,
| taking 1t all through, there's few bust
| nesses as are more risky than police
mans. In plenty of neighborhoods he
goes on duty with his life in his hand.
People read and talk Of the dangerous
classes, but 1t is the policeman that
has to deal with 'em, and it's him that
knows who dangerous they are. They
know whether it's only women or bows
that we collar; they know who laws
them by the heels, and they remember
it, with Il vengeance. Revenge is
sweet is a motto with a good many of
them, and when they are loose they
will often so long way to have it on
the man that has been the means of
caging them-that was how ] came by
the cash you see on the side OF my face
here
L had got customer two years for
stealing lead, and | was one of those
that escorted him to the van after he
was sentenced, and as we passed along
be growls out to me under his breath.
You've scored this chalk. but yo1,
may lay any odds that pll score the
next, if | have to die for it,
/ could tell that be meant what he
SAID, and bore it in mind. When he
was out again, kept well on my guard
whenever l saw him lurking about
but at length he was zoe sharp for me.
One rather foggy night was passing
the top OF dark side street, when hear
ing a rush, | wheeled round as quickly
as L could-but was too late. [ lust
caught sight of the scoundrel making
a swinging hit at me with a bottle tied
IN handkerchief, and the next instant
was stretched senseless. shall carry
the mark of the blow to the grave with
me, as you may see, and it was pretty
nigh carrying me to the grave [ was
within half an inch of death, as Won
may say, for if it had been half an inch
more on the temple it would have been
the end of me. AS it was, it laid me
up for about three months, but beyond
marking me, it did me no permanent
harm
When [ got on duty again said
nothing, but made mp my mind that
there should be a third chalk TO the
game between me and the fellow that
struck the blow. He had bolted AS
soon as he had done it, and hadn't
been heard from since; but for all that
| felt quite sure he would turn up in
his old Turk again sooner or later. for
nls wife and all his companions were
there. So [ watched and watched. and |
sure enough at the end of couple of |
years spotted him again / found |
that he had only been back Il week |
when caught sight of him, and SO I |
didn't try to t1utter the nest too soon. |
let three months go by. SO that he |
might think he was all right, and then /
[ went in to score my next chalk.
L reported him, and half dozen of |
us were told Oft to take him. Three
went into the house after him, two
Kept watch IN the front, and [ took my
stand at the back, the way he was like
hest to come if he managed to make a
run tor 1t. As it turned out. he did |
make run, or at any rate he got q |
start.
1t was low-b built house. and before
those who went in could get up stairs
he dropped out of the bedroom window.
coming down safely on his feet but
before he could take to his heels / was
facing him, nay right hand holding nv
statf ready drawn behind my back, nv
left hand ready to collar him.
Oh, its you, is it?" he grinds out
between his teeth. and before I could
say word or move an inch, he had
whipped ont a laroa oiarp i~p;co r
could see murder in his eve. and so T
dashed in at once to seize him: but
before [ could lay hold of him he had
gashed my left hand to the bone-and
then it was my turn. He was drawing
back to make a running stab at me,
when quick as lightning, and with ali
the strength i could put intoit, swung
round my right arm and caught him
with the staff full in the face, telling
him like bullock. He was senseless.
and by the time the others got around
had him quietly handcuffed. When
We got him to the station wa sapt for