The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-10-04
English Policemen.

| hOWCNcl, OuI DyeHOOT pOllCc are a.
| fine body of men, and never, so far as l
am able to testify, unbuckle their belts
or lay aside their morions. They are
simple, staid, little grim in their de-
meanor, displaying none of that ro-
mantle gallantry, either in appearance
or action, that distinguishes our own
Broadway squad; though 1 will not
assert that the sight of an area-door or
nursery-window may not sometimes
go near to awaken their social instincts.
But their sense of discipline is most
profound and praiseworthy, and seems,
indeed, to be stronger than is the caso
with any other official class in England.
For the English, though fond of impos-
ing discipline on other people, do not
take kindly to it themselves, and still
less display ravenous appetite for it,
like the Germans. The police, how
ever, have really the air of being dis
ciplined to the backbone. But their
English nature appears in this, that
discipline only stiffens and constrains
them-they cannot assimilate it., and
make it their second and easier nature,
as the Continentals do. Discipline's
captives they may be, but not her
creatures. The English policeman has
received categorical instruction as to
what he is to do and what to forbear
doing, and he obeys the instructions
categorically, without in the least enter
ing into The spirit of them, or under
standing, save in the dimmest manner,
their general scope. Consequently,
there is often great deal of naivete in
his behavior. l have met him on his
lonely beat along a country road, re-
mote from the haunts of men, and un-
aware of my presence. Yet he stalked
along, solemn and prim as if on parade,
with measured tread, and stiff-swinging
arms, and head erect. At every
hundred yards or so he would turn
himself majestically about, and de-
liberately survey the uninhabited
region through which he had
come-as if to assure himself that
Mother Nature was not making faces at
him behind his back; and, had he de-
tected anything disorderly in the aspect
of the landscape, he would unquestion-
ably have endeavored to take it into
custody. ] should like to know, by
the-way, what an English policeman
thinks g custody" means. With the
practical significance of the phrase he
is, of course, familiar; but, when he has
occasion to utter the word, he rolls it
under his tongue in a manner irrecon-
cilable with the idea that he could give
an genealogical definition of it. 1t
sounds well, it is associated in his mind
with the exercise of power, and there is
/ CON, hipnr vo C,vo voIu sy,oyoo;nr about -
The absence of the sense of htlmor in
this worthy official is so marked that it
becomes positive quality, and, para
doxical as it may seem to say SO, hui
morous one. Anything like earnest and
complete absorption in ones calling is
apt to be regarded, nowadays, as rather
udicrous than otherwise. And have
observed that the undisciplined British
public, which has coarse perception
Of the humorous, is quite awake to this
ludicrous aspect of their civil guardians.
They have pet names for them-such as
g Bobbier and "Beakn and treat
them in half-bantering, half-friendly
way, that is pleasant to see. Witha1,
they have a proper awe Of them, and
seldom venture to lift hand against
them; SO that a recent murder Of two
policemen near London stirred the re-
sentiment of the whole community to an
unusual degree. In short, the popu-
lace regards its solemn and conscien-
tious defenders with q mixture of COM
passion, affection and respect; and,
though it cannot suppress an occasional
grin at them, would always be ready to
take their part in q row. @
For my part, ]. fully concur in the
popular sentiment on this head, and,
lest should seem to have sketched my
policeman in too harsh and mOnotonous
cOlors, / must make some allusion to
him in his unofficial phase. saw him
one Sunday afternoon when he was off
duty, and was taking q stroll through
the outskirts of the town with his wife
and his two children. It was q warm
summer day; his beltwas of, his rigid
coat unbnttoned, his air domestic and
gentle. His children had each grasped
= hand those hands that were wont in
business hours to take offenders into
custody, but which now returned the
childish pressure with parental tender
ness. The good wife smiled and pratt
tied alongside; she was proud Of the
officer but she loved the husband. Ana
the husband was all husband, except
what Of him was father. II he HID not
forgottDt tA6NoMcer. he Remembered
him only ~ s6niethi19 which lie desired
tprignofe He wished not merely to Be
fnpo| nciSl, but to. be more 4 unof-
1 fiCfal than II h6 had never ofIieiafed.