Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-07-07
4 DEBT OF HONOR.
PARr Ia oRuAIp TO A MOUSE.

PART IA oRUMB TO MOUSE.
1t was the wet forenoon of January day,
Just two years ago, when the usual gang Of
idlers that hang about the ferry wharves were
delighted at having the monotony of gazing
out from under the dripping awnings broken
by the singular movements of q couple of po-
licemen. One of these wel.fed guardians Of
the peace was on his knees beside hole brok-
on in the flooring of a neighboring dock, and
engaged in angrily issuing evidently disre-
garded commands to some fugitive concealed
beneath, while his fellow, with equal profan-
ity aud perspiration, endesvored to pry up a
loose board further along, for the purpose of
also gaining access to the offender
whats up? What's the matter ?" asked
the bystanders, crowding up, while the pas
sengers coming off the just Handed ferry-boat
stopped to look on.
The policemen, however, ignored the in
quiries levelled at them until bustling oiti-
zen, who was evidently a merchant and tax
payer, paused and said brusquely:
''Hello there, Mike What are you after
there?"
One of the blue and brass luminaries here
upon looked up and growled
Nothing but wharf rat, sir"
Then why don't you send in a dog, if it's
a rat 2" asked the merchant innocently.
The contemptuous criticism Of his igno-
rance about to be made by the officer was in
terrupted just then by the cries of the rodent
in question, which appeared at the first men,
toned aperture in consequence of a vigorous
clubbing administered by one of the police
men, who had finally succeeded in removing
the plank. The captive thus secured was an
indescribably diminutive and preposterously
dirty urchin, with the blackest eyes and red
dest head imaginable. As the policeman
dragged him into the daylight by his thread
bare collar, and perched him, trembling and
whimpering, on a bale near at hand a shout
of appreciatiye qualification went up from the
bystanders. Nothing tickles the risibilities of
your ordinary street crowd SO much as a little
genuine pain and suffering exhibited gratis.
Looking at the spectacle in this popular and
kindly fashion, there was indeed much cause
for merriment Nothing sadder or more pit
iful could be imagined than that little hunger
pinohcd, bare-footed, ragged figure, the face
white with despair at the contamination of
the one terrible dread of its owners brief life
he had been took up"
whats he done ?" asked a severe-looking
man eagerly. mot been fighting dogs, eh ?"
"The by, ist 2" responded one of the blue
coated magnates, leisurely putting up his
club "Oh, he's only one O. thin wharf rats
as lives under the wharves here nd stales
from the projoose sehooners O. nights. We
be runnin' thin all in for vagrancy and onda-
clint exposure by raison of thin goin' in swim
min livery foive minutes widout their clothes
on. It's afther this divil we've bin for wake
or more. It's no use tryin' to catch one O.
thin felleTs in the wather. They shwim like
a fish, begorra thin does, md they've more
holes T. slip inter than the cells thimsilves, so
they has"
6Ah ?" said the severe-looking man, who
was AN officer of the S. p. O. A. 81 was in
hopes it was q case for me" and he walked
off, much disappointed.
The wharf rat ceased his low, terrified sniv-
cling long enough to put in plea that he
he was not vagrant, but sold papers that
he only slept under the wharf because ii didn't
cost anything; that he didn't know it was any
harm TO go in swimming and other excuses
common to great criminals.
One of the officers atTolled oil to look up
an express wagon to convey the captive to
headquarters. This he did partly because il
would involve a loss of dignity to convoy so
insignificant prisoner through the streets,
and partly because he had friend in the ex-
press office who was always good for the div
| Wy" on these little jobs. The other guardian
majestically reposed after his exertions on a
hawser-post, having first impressed upon the
| ''rat" the fact that an immediate cessation of
its blubberng would obviate the necessity of
| having its b. d | caved in with O club.
Meanwhile several other passers TO and from
the ferry loitered to gaze at the strong hand
of the law in full operation, and TO ask the
prisoners : odense. One of these was the re-
| fined and benevolent pastor of an uptown