The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1895-12-07

that excellent woman discover him in
the hands of the law.
IF your key won't work. said the
policeman, ivy don't you ring the
bell?''
Poinsette cleared up that mystery.
The officer was not satisfied.
"To be free with you, my man,. he
said, climbing his grasp on Poinsette's
collar, II think you're burglar. If
that's your boarding house, you're goin'
tn If it isn't you're goin' to the sation."
Then the policeman, with one hand
wound about in Poinsette's collar, made
trial of the key with the other hand.
The effort was futile. The lock was OBJ
durate: the key was stranger to it. Then
the blue guardian of the city's slumbers
stepped back pace and took mighty
pull at the door bell. It was a yank
which brought forth wealth of jingle
and ring.
Poinsette was glad of it. He had
grown desperate and wanted the thing
to end. Bad as it was it would be better
to face his landlady than be locked up
in burglars CELL Poinsette was re-
signed therefore when the second-story
window raised and nightcapped head
was made to overhang the sill and blot
its silhouette against the starlit sky.
"Be you the landlady?" asked the po-
liceman, authoritatively.
Eyes, I am," quoth the nightcap in a
snappy, snarly way. What do you
want?'
This man says his name is Poinsette
and that he rooms here" replied the
officer.
"No such thing" retorted the night
cap. mo such man rooms here. Don't
even know the name" Then the win
dow came down with a grievous bang.
1t Was as if it descended on Poinsette's
heart.
You're crook" said the policeman
"and now you come with me-
Poinsette essayed to explain that the
nightcap was not his landlady. That he
had made mistake in the house. The
policeman laughed in hoarse scorn ol
this.
Dye think I'm goin' all along the
row, yankin' door bells out by the roots
on such stiff as you're givin' me?'
Ihat was the reply of the policeman tt
Polnsette's pleadings to try next door
Polnsette was led sadly off with the
grip OF the law on his collar. At the sta.
ton he was searched and booked ant
bolted in. On the hard plank which
made the sole furnishings Of his mar
row sell Poinsette threw himself down
not to sleep, but to give himself up tt
bitter consideration of his fate.
AS Poinsette sat there waiting for the
sun to rise and friends to come to his
rescue, the station clock struck g. Il
rung dismally in the cell of Poinsette
At Cape May clocks of correct habits
were also telling the hour of 2. Mrs. P
was not yet asleep. The vigorous aroma
of the ocean swept the room. The nigh
was beautiful; Mrs. P, loosely garbed
sat in an easy chair at the window and
seemed to thoroughly enjoy it.
Il wonder what Poinsette's doing
said Mrs. P. to herself; and there was
color of jealousy in the tone. Then Mrs
P. snorted as in contempt. "I'll war
rant he's having good time," she con-
tinued. ''This idea that married men
when their wives are away for the
summer have dull time never i'm
posed on me''
Mrs. P. little thought that her dear
Poinsette at that very moment was
holding down the cell of a felon, while
the blotter in the sergeant's office bold
~ informed mankind that he was
burglar. Washington Post.