Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-12-03
THE NEW COPPER.
He Was Looking For a Victim and Finally
Found One.

He Was Looking For a Victim and Finally
Found One.
Mike Finnigan, new ON the force, was
put on duty at one of the best known rail
way stations in Chicago. Mike wigs
new wearer of the brass and blue, and he
keenly felt the Importance Of wearing
star and carrying club. He grizzly de-
termined to distinguish himself aud make
tracks in the police heaven that could By
plainly disoerned by as distant planet as
the chief himself.
Finnigan took his place in the station
corridors and strutted about with bear
ing that he felt sure would be a terror TO
all evildoers. He stood up so straight
that he nearly fell over backward. Ops
hand was constantly on the hip of his
billy and the other was ready d mo-
ment's notice to fly TO the ggh in his
trousers. The man with eyes both in the
back and front Of his head was a tyro in
the arts of vigilance when compared with
Mike. But, watch as vigilantly as he
would and HUSTLE around as swiftly as he
could, the new station policeman couldn't
find single offender to arrest. Not sim
gle citizen from Nebraska even dropped a
banana peeling on the floor, nor did a
child emigrant let fall single drumstick
Of chicken
Such an exasperatingly quiet and peace
full station never existed. Finnigan had
been on his station beat two weeks and
had not made single arrest With horror
he thought of what his superiors might
think of such inaction The new police
man felt that he would soon be called to
account and reprimanded or perhaps dis
missed from the force. The station still
remained SO quiet, peaceful and law abid-
ing that it made the sweat start from ev-
cry pore in Finnigans skin. He felt that
he must do something and do it mighty
quick, even If he had to arrest an immi-
grant for going to sleep. Mike went up
to where the station rules hung in frame
upon the wall and studied each regulation
over and over again, trying to find some
order that he had seen violated.
Fate and Mikes perspicacity at last
brought reward. One evening a young
man with great bunch of yellow ribbon
on the lapel Of his coat strolled into the
waiting room and sat down. Mike watch
ed him like cat for three quarters of an
hour. At the end Of that time he had the
problem solved. Not only was there here
an opportunity to make an arrest, but to
soak it to fellow who was probably an
Orangeman at the same time, for our po-
liceman figured it out that the big bunch
of orange ribbon could mean nothing else
than that the wearer was an Orangeman
Stepping up behind the young fellow Mike
brought his hand down on his shoulder
with force that nearly drove him through
his seat.
"Young Teller, yer under artist, I" roared
Tinnigan.
"What for9 haven't done anything"
said the college student, for such he was,
az the orange how indicated.
"Ye Invent, huh? Is that yer games
Well, I jist guess I'll run ye III anyhow"
and Mike frightened his grip on the youths
collar
"Well, you can't arrest me when
haven't done anything, was the hot reply.
"Ye've violated the rulss Of The station "
II haven't done any 8, oh thing"
II say ye has"
"What rule have violatad?"
"Come here and I'll show We, and Fin
nigan dragged the student over to where
the rules hungo on the wall. ,oye SEQ thot,
rule siven9' continued the policeman,
pointing out the seventh regulation. "D'ye
sec what thot says-tPle use the spit
toon.' Ye kin read thot, can't ye? Well,
durn yer skin, I've been watchin ye 45
minutes, and ye haven't spit onct Chi
cago Inter Ocean.