The Evening critic., 1884-06-17
TWO POLICE SCENES.
OF which the Parallel May Now and
Then be Found.

Then be Found.
The fret scene is at the corner of street
and an avenue In a part Of the city devoted
to residences The time Is about twenty
minutes to twelve, midnight. Three Or
four gentlemen have walked up tho str eet
from down town. They were not bolster
Gus they were neither profanc nor OBJ
scene; they wero not intoxicated, but they
were in good humor and were laughing
heartily, for as they walk along leisurely
putting their cigars (they are gentlemen of
taste, for they smoke cigars aud not cigar
ettes,) one Of the party is telling good
story.
When they reach the corner they halt,
for their paths diverge. One of the party
lives just at tho corner. But the story has
not been completed, and SO they stop to
hear the last of IL. Then there is laugh
which may be heard perhaps two or three
doors away. A vigilant police officer who
would be deaf If n burglar was cracking
safe or a robber was breaking down n door
hears that laugh. And his vigilaut soul Is
disturbed He walks up to the gentlemen
and tells them in an imperious way that
they must stop that clatter that IL Is near
midnight, and they are disturbing tho
neigbborhood.
One Of the gentlemen remarks that he
guesses they are all right, that they won't
he lives in the Immediate noighborhood.
II don't care where you live" says the
cop. II don't want any more of this noise
and so move on. This Is no time to be
gathering ON street corners"
After little parley the gentlemen. find
ing that they have boor to deal with,
pocket the insult offered them by the man
in uniform aud move of.
The Second sceno
is laid at point only two or three squares
from tho first. 1t is also quiet, residen-
tial neighborhood, except that saloon
keeper has managed to maintain foothold
there for several years against the protest
of some of the quietly disposed citizens.
The time was four or five minutes be-
fore 12 o'clock and the saloon was about to
be closed. Half a dozen fellows, who had
been swilling beer and who had Just come
out, were standing ON the curb committing
nuisances and telling stories with a good
deal Of profanity and obsccnity in them,
and laughing and talking loud enough to
be heard two squares off.
a policeman camo along, If he was not
the same individual in uniform who had
a few moments before ordered tho gem
tlemen Off the corner, he was that individ
ual's ghost. But there are no ghosts aud
so he must have been the same.
Good evening, gentlemen" said the cop
familiarly TO the curbstone crowd, as he at
the same time nodded to the barkeeper
who was closing the shutters.
Hello -" replied tho curbstone
crowd, calling the officer Familiarity by
name
Then they got into chat. Some one in
the crowd told a nasty story, at which the
cop laughed with the rest. The laughter
was loud and boisterous, but no one was
ordered home. There was an admonition,
Not quite so loud boys; not quite so
loud !" aud that was ALL
In short time tho crowd left; then tho
| cop gave tap ON the window shutter, it was
opened gently, something was passed out,
| the cops elbow was seen to bend some
| thing was passed back into the saloon, the
shutter was closed again, and all was
serene.
The cop had done his duty. He had in
suited four gentlemen. hobnobbcd with q
lot of halfdrunken beer. .swillers, heard a
nasty story, swallowed his nightcap, and
was ready for tho relief.
Thank fortune, there are not a great many
| of this kind on the force.
But there are few.