The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-06-12
THE DANDY COPPERs.
The Policeman and His Ways While Weld
ing the Locust.

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.l
There is something of fascination in the
life of policeman. Tradition has given
him characteristics or attributes more or
less in accordance with truth. His ex-
periences embrace the widest possible
range. At the busy and bustling corners
he is seen at his best. There, with his
dress coat, shining brass buttons and nicely
polished shield, he gracefully twirls his
rosewood club and directs the movements
of the passing throng; helping a pretty
miss across the street in gallant manner,
and smiling his sweetest as he leaves her
TO trip dainty along her way; keeping an
old man from the wheels of passing car
riage, and jerking an irrepressible news
boy from a precarious position almost
underneath horse-car; courteously COM
handing a small knot of cOnversationalists
to pass on, and tapping a drunken rufian
with his ever-handy billy. He is cool
headed when all around him are mad with
excitement; ready for any emergency at
q moments notice, and always on hand for
any refractory citizen. His uniform lends
to him a certain amount of dignity and
gives him a certain prestige. There is
something in double row of brass buttons
and nickel plated shield that strikes ter
This is what he seems as he stands upon
q Main street corner. Under different cir
cumstances he is seemingly a different
man. According to the legend which is
handed down from generation to genera
ton he possesses an affinity for a secluded
stairway at late hours of the night or
early hours of the morning, when things
around are generally quiet. Here he is
coiH 70 thaS 81 yxyhjp oh "a va
habitant is enjoying at that time, all I'M
mindful of the fight which may be happen
ing block below, or of the frantic calls
for him which may be emanating from
some one in process of being robbed or
murdered.
He is also said to be happy when leaning
across some fence at night and chatting
Familiarity with the servant girl. He is
frequently depicted in this interesting stu
alton, and is popularity supposed to be then
in the height of happiness. Malicious
rumor also hath it that at times he is not
averse to a suspension of section 4 for a
period of about two minutes, while he can
enjoy mug of beer. But these SANDER
Gus gossips who circulate these tales are
the very ones upon whom he likes to lay
the strong arm of the law and show the
skill and training of his biceps and triceps
in his agile application of the festive
locust.
1t will not do to ask him if these things
are true. He does not like it. He is apt
to become irritated, even at such a little
thing, and experience will teach anybody
that a policeman is bad person to irritate.
Many people understand this, and in con-
sequence he is frequently offered a cigar.
If you know him and stand in with him he
will occasionally give you one of these. If
you smoke it you will not feel like stand
ing in any more, but like going somewhere
and laying down. These cigars are an
awful warning against the smoking vice.
The policeman is not supposed to arrest
every drunken man he sees. Rochester is
quite city, and on some occasions large
percentage of the people might be under
lock and key. He must help him home if
he can. The philosophy of this is that If
the wassailer be married man he is apt
to get much warmer reception at that
place than at the Police Station, and will
remember the warning longer.
In regard to raps, a policeman is supposed
to rap whenever he sees anything that will
make a sound when he hits it, If it be =
drunken man, so much the worse for the
individual.
But Rochester has force of which she
can well be proud. Under the efficient care
of it's managers it is able to cover the city
better than much larger patrols do in other
cities. Some of the outside beats are much
longer than they should be, and some parts
Of the city are not even covered at all, but
this is not the fault of the men, but only
owing to their insufficient numbers. Every
of the force is supposed to have an
elegant mustache, which must be kept
well trimmed and waxed. As they appear
on parade they are a handsome body of
men. The virissitudes they experience are
many, and, in the language of the great
Comm ssioner: ''the life of policeman is
not a happy one"