The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-11-09

cd down the streers tortuous course
Half way along Ii stood an ash can
filled to overfowing l jabbed the
sharp end OF the umbrella a foot into
the soft ashes and stepped back and
admired my work. At last l was rid
of the thing. Now I could laugh
again. Once more could-I felt a
heavy hand on my shoulder and look
I'd up at a tall, long-haired man, who
came out of the shadow OF some front
steps.
''Dake dot ting away, you pauber,"
he said. 'If you don't got no con of
your own doan be stickin' 1t In udder
peoples. Dake 1t away, or l hollers
for der bolice like l vas grazyw
| took it and once more moved
wearily on. Around the corner in
Waverly place l went close to the
edge of the sidewalk dropped the
umbrella In the "gutter and walked
away quickly. Peck It up" said q
policeman, starting out OF passage
doorway. peek 1t up and move on
wild We. Do you t'ink Tom Br-r-ennan
has nothing at all to do but cart away
such trash as you do be havin'?" So
[ took it along with me.
l walked on and turned down
Grove street. l made up my mind that
there was one more chance. If that
failed nothing remained-I would keep
the umbrella and carry 1t. Grove
street seemed lonely and deserted,
but | knew 1t wasn't l was not the
inexperienced thing that l had been
earlier in the evening. l turned down
Hudson street, and then went through
Barrow toward the river. At Wash
ington there was a pile of bricks. l
stopped in the shadow, undid the cord
which held the ribs of my umbrella
and dropped two bricks into the bulg-
ing cavern. 1t would have held more.
| picked up piece of paper and did
up the umbrella in it, making a fairly
neat, oblons package. Then | hurried
along to West street. 1t was ablaze
with lights, and 'longshoremen were
crowding along its single terrestrial
side. But | needed them not and
crossed and stole along close to the
piers and ferry slips. / soon came to
pier which seemed to suit my dark
purpose. | crept out on it. There
was pile of lumber at the outer
end but no living thing in sight. The
moon looked hazy, and Libertys light
shown far away with uncertain lus-
touched my glowing face, but there
was no time to stop to enjoy 1t.
t.ptoed to the stringpiece and cast my
burden from me. 1t went down into
the black waters with n dull splash.
"Haltv' cried a man, coming from
behind the lumber. / saw he was n
watchman and stood helpless. He
whistled shrilly and an officer and a
dozen men came running down the
pier.
ARREST this man, Mahoney," said
the Waterman. HE throwed baby
into the river-I heared it cry"
II was a-watchng Of the felly
sneaking along meself." said the off,
Ger, as he took hold of my arm as IL
he were Admiral Farragut In the rig
ging of the Hartford and l was the
rigging. He started away with me,
and soon a crowd Of fifty people were
at our heels.
"Do you need to walk quite so fast?"
I asked.
"Dom you, it's fer yer own good"
said Mahoney. "Do yOuse want to be
lynched?"
He marched me into the Charles
street police station.
whats the charge, officer?" asked
the man at the desk.
"Murther, sergeant" answered Ma.
honey. ''He 'rowed a che-ild into the
Mort River"
"See here, sergeant" said. 'this
is absurd. l threw an umbrella into
the river-that was all"
"We'll have to hold you. Explain
to the judge in the morning" He
picked up a pen and began writing.
"Infant!cide-nam name?-age?-"
where's Officer Dooney? He
knows me-"
Cali Dooney," said the sergeant.
Officer Dooney came in from the
next room and looked at me with as.
ton.shment as he heard the charge.
There must be n mistake" he said.
81 know him to be of good cha-rack-
ter l talked wild him a nour ago on
beat. His actions was reg'lar."
where's the watchman that heard
the child cry?" asked the sergeant.
AS he spoke this individual burst in
Mt the door, dripping with water and
carrying my package in his hands.
81 dove fer It," shouted this eff
cient guardian, in wet, salty voice.
II dove fer 1t, sergeant! 1t amt no
baby-it's worse nor that-it's a bum
-dynermte-he wuz tryin to blow up
the pierw D
He deposited the bundle carefully
on the floor and backed off. Every
one retreated from it, even Officer
Dooney.
strobe forward and kicked 1t vic
iously. Then l stripped off the wet
paper, took up the umbrella by the
sharp end and allowed the bricks to
fall to the floor
1--WE can't hold you this time" said
the sergeant, with touch of sadness
in his voice.
In FIVE minutes I was at my lodg-
ings. | stood the wet umbrella up
carefully in the corner OF my bed