Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-12-28
LoNDoN's POLICE FORGE.
Tho Impression It Mad1 on an
 American Traveller.
Uniforms That Arc Good Enough in Qual- ity, but Execrable in Style-The Aston ishins Humility of the Pcelers
 Begging for a Drink.

Ity, but Execrable In Stylo-Tho Aston.
 ishing Humility of the Pcelers
 Begging for a Drink.
 The London policeman would afford an unlimited amount of amusement to the iK- reverent street gamin of New York. The "bobbies,'' or ''peelers," as they are called, after Sir Robert Peel, who founded the Metropolitan police force, number at pres ent 10000, says correspondent of the New York Times. and they Lave charge of a district comprising T20 square miles. But the most inexperienced militiaman who ever tripped over his own sword could not fail to decide, after a mornings stroll down the Strand, that the New York police would, in case of 8 pitched battle, Ego through''Nihe London "peelerS" in most finished styleN
 These London policemen are light-built, | slender lot of fellows. One looks in vain for the brawn and muscle of the staIwart men who stand along Broadway on a crowd. ed afternoon. When one calls to mind the consplcuous figure of the Adonis at Twenty. third street he is inclined to turn aside and laugh In his sleeve, while he exclaims: ssI have found the small thing in this great city"
 The uniform is unquestionably a sad det- riment to the men here. It would be diff1- cult to conceive of any thing more thorough ly fitted for the business of making man lOOh ihS d mOuhcH Ou pdTduo lQdu tuo uniform of the London police. And when, in a ransble along the Strand, one runs agalnst aa uncommonly small policeman he naturally turns to look for the organ grinder. The hat is very bad imitation of 8 medieval helmet. The blouse has short skirt, which the belt at the waist causes to stick out in an absurd manner, and the trousers are in- variably too large, especially at the upper part of the legs. The result is that the lnofy 1OY,l l6Ar lot ed and extremely loose and baggy around the hips.
 It is impossible for any man to strike ter TOT to the heart of {. malefactor under these circumstances. No one can be very much afraid of a person who can not fill his cloth ing, and have been unable to find solitary London policeman who could accomplish that seemingly simple feat
 But this is not all. As if the mans az. pearance were not enough to deprive hIm of all municipal dignity and importance, the laws of his native land do not permit him to swing the triumphant club with that free dom and force which are allowed to the finest" In tact, London policeman is not supposed to draw his club till the point ! is past at which New York officer would draw his revolver and scatter its contents | over as many points of the compass as | there were chambers in the ''gun." It is | a serious matter for an officer to club man | in London. In New York policeman is as good as any one else. Here he is not. That I makes difference. Here the policeman's uniform is 8 badge of servitude. He is public menial. He knows it; and the peo- pie know it. As resident American said | to me night or two ago: ''The difference l between policeman here and one in New York is simply this: In New York the po- hceman wipes his foot on you here you wipe your foot on the policeman"
 | The general result of the restrictions, uniform and otherwise, on the London po 1 iceman is that he becomes a very humble person i'll some respects. But he does en- joy certain liberties which are not on tho list in New York. A few evenings ago, for instance, stopped to ask a question of two officers who were standing in Holborn, near Gray's Inn road Instead of answering my question briefly and passing New | York officers would have done under simi- lar circumstances, they entered into long
 Conversation with me, their manner all the time being very respectful and frequently somewhat suppliant The significance of the latter quality dawned upon me present ly, and I suggested the propriety of ad- journing to the nearest resort and indulg ing in a half pint of ''bitter." The pre- sentation of a quarter to Park Row begsar never called forth more humble gratitude. One policeman remained on watch in Hol- born while the other walked boldly Tn the front door of an ale house with me and took his drink. Then he returned and the other came in. Then we three walked westward along the street till we came to court yard, where one of the officers stopped me-
 ''That's my post, sir, that court,' he said s'It's full of tramp lodging houses, and it's one of the worst thieves holes in London I'm on duty here to see that no one is run in there.''
 Then he turned and walked on to the westward with his companion and myself. I parted from them half block west of Chancery lane.
 Last night stopped to talk to another policeman in Piccadilly, and invited him to indulge in a customary halt-pint of bitter. He readily consented, and led me off his beat altogether and down Duke street. A short distance down we saw a crowd and , the officer ran on ahead. A fight was in prog ress, and my man assisted another in order ing about a hundred people to march on
 Coming up, saw that the other officer had gold stripes on his sleeves. He was my mans sergeant. At the same moment a body of policemen came marching up the
 street to go on duty. My man could not walk into an ale house just then, but he fingered behind the sergeant and the other men and whispered to me:
 'I can't go in there just this minute, sir, but give us the price Of the drink and I'll lave it by myself by and by.'
 gave the uniformed beggar three half pence and he touched his hat with Q
 ''Thank ye, sir" and departed. I resumed my walk toward Piccadilly circus, wonder
 ing what Superintendent Murray would think of the occurrence. I wonder if any one can conceive of New York polio sman
 begging the price of a beer from c tiyen,
 UT touching his hat, or saying ''Thanik ye''
 to any one beneath the rank of Cove .nor.
 New Sphere for Women. Q While young women are looking over C the fields for lines of activity allowable $ for them to follow for subsistence, il 00 | probably does not occur to them tha1