Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-16

very bright ewes, but with such thin check
and hands, although he seemed to b
powerfully built and made for rather ;
stout man that | could not help watchin;
him and wondering whether he had beer
| il. or not.
aThe first time that ] noticed him wa
about sunset, and he passed my Windows
about dozen times, looking all the while
straight at those hams which dangled from
the frame of the awning. | hope he means
to buy one ! said to my wife, as we sat to-
! gether over the tea table, and | shouldn't
wonder if ne did. for he seems to have taker
a fancy to them
"But the evening passed, and though
saw him every now and then on the other
side of the way, looking across with his
bright eyes right at the hams he did moi
come in or speak to me on the subject
And SO / made up my mind he would send
for it in the morning, and somehow made
so sure Of it that whenever saw decent
looking woman go by with basket on her
arm, / said that's the policeman's wife
coming after the ham.
was mistaken, however, and after the
street lamps were lighted, began to see
the man pacing up and down, with his
eyes still fixed, as they had been the night
previous, upon the hams. Once he caught
me peeping at him, and then he turned so
red and looked at me with such wolfish
glitter in his eyes that | grew angry, and
said to myself: It's well that keeping I'M
salable articles isn't crime in this
| country, for if it was, l should expect to be
arrested
$50 gave him back his look, turned on
my heel, and walked back into the shop.
did not see him again that night, but long
after everything had been taken in and
locked up, and | was..snug in bed, l heard a
tramp, tramp. tramp, upon the pavement,
that he was looking at the hooks where
the hams hung as well as though ! had
seen him.
con the third evening he was there
again; that you may say was no wonder,
for it was his duty TO be on that beat and
no other; but it was curious that he should
keep ON staring at those hams with those
bright, woltish eyes of his. | didn't like
it, though l could not have said why.
A vessel had been wrecked at sea about
that time, and an extra, with the latest
news Of the disaster, came out that even
ing. bought paper and sat down behind
the counter to read it. 1t was stormy
night but few customers came in, and
those were easily served, and somehow, be-
tween reading and thinking, time passed
ON till the clock struck II, and | had not
yet taken in my goods or put up my shut
tiers.
"Jast as / was about to do so-in fact.
| had already put my hand on the first
piece Of shutter,-my door opened, and an
old woman came in. She was a scottish,
miserable creature, known about the place
as Irish Kate and with her red nose and
bloated limbs, was as ugly a figure as any
one ever cast eyes on. Another dram, |
suppose | said to myself, going behind the
bar at once, for / wanted to get rid of her
as soon as possible. But she, to my sur
prise, came close to me, and put her great
red paw upon my arm.
"'Pve made diskevery, Mister she
said. You've not been keeping a bright
lookout as We should; there's been thafe
at work without this blessed night
"'Whatl thiefp | asked.
More than can tell ye,' she an
swered. But think it's policeman, no
less the blackguard.'
ga policeman | cried, and my
thoughts flew at once to the man | had
seen staring at my hams.
Its too dark to see his face she said;
but / caught the shine Of star on the
coat he had ON, and whoever it was took
ham from your pegs and hid it in the ash
box beyant the corner. Yell find it there
if We look; and now yell not refuse an old
woman sup of whisky for the informal
ton?
81 gave the old creature what she
wanted, hurried her out of the shop, and
put up the shutters, growing angry every
moment.
eff it's the policeman, I'll make him
pay dearly for itp | exclaimed, as skunk
along the sidewalk to the corner, keeping
in the shadow all the way; and when |
stood beside the box, and saw by the light
of the lamp close by, that the ham was
there, wrapped in something which looked
like handkerchief, / bit my lips and
clenched my hands with rage. Had it
been common thief, | should not have
minded; but policeman lit was more
than could stand. So crouched myself
in doorway and waited. The watch was
relieved at u o'clock. | knew that, and
knew also that this would be the time
when my policeman would come to take
the ham from its hiding place. And sure
enough, when the time came heard him
challenge the man who was to take his
place, and come marching down toward
the corner. | let him get the ham under
his arm before / stirred, but then l
pounced upon him like tiger.
"Pye got your | cried. a pretty
policeman you are, indeed, but you shall
suffer for it, can tell youp
ale struggled with me for moment
like wild thing and then all of sudden
dropped the ham and fell down in help
less sort of way upon the ground.
"'pm ruined man. he groaned, "a
ruined man There's no hope for me
now. 0 my God, Ny wifel My poor
wifer And he burst out crying like
woman.
''The sightsoftened me, but was angry
still.
"eYou should have thought of that be-
fore you became a thief | said. If the
guardian of mans property is not to be
trusted, what is to become of him? And
you look like a gentleman-you do not
seem like scoundrel; how have you ever
stopped TO such disgraceful thing as
thisT
ale was standing beside me now, and
the lamp fell on his face. 1t was white as
that of any corpse, and his eyes glittered
terribly.
".Pll tell you what made me do it, he
said, it was the only thing that could
have driven me to act like that. My wife
and child are misunderstanding, tell you,
and / have nothing for themP
sPolicemen's families don't often
starve,' said with sheer.
"sMy God can't you believe me ?
painted the man. 1 have only been APP
pointed three days; have not received a
cent of salary yet. / have been idle a
long while and have neither money nor
credit. Last night we went to bed supper
less; to-day there has not been crust in
the house, and these hams tempted me,
and meant TO pay you afterward.'
He covered his face with his hands,
and could see great tears dropping
through his fingers; and before ] knew,
my own cheeks were moist, and we stood
silent, with the ham lying beside us on the
ground.
At last he turned toward me and said
"sDo what YOU want with me; my last