The Red Cloud chief., 1896-09-04

uoNH iTItHu, VdlHt W NulSdS WY,
and II was due To his efforts that the
city council of Kansas City, Kan, en-
acted an ordinance establishing a cur
few, which, from March I to Oct. I, Is
sounded ut . o'clock at night and dur
ing the winter months at s o'clock.
There is no bell loud enough to carry
its warning tn all parts of the town, 80
the siren whistle at Arm6ir's packing
house was pressed into service. and
at 9 o'clock each night II blows its
warning to vagrant childhood. The
mature age of IL years, however. Is
proof against the torrors of the curfcw
whistle.
The curfcw law across the state line
Is very much respected by the little
people. to whom II Is. and very proper
ly. too, n serious matter. Parents In
Kansas City, Kan, are delighted with
II, for they are sure to have their chill
drcn home betimes. The children know
the value of their short lease OF liberty
In he evening and play from supper
time until 3 o'clock with a vigor that
Is delightful. At h~alf-past s the play
grows faster. At u quarter to . II
PUSHES. At five minutes to . Il IL a
f,verish scramble. Then, when 0 o'clock
comes and the curfcw roars out from
Armour's big whistle. there Is a scat
tering. A boy shouts, "There she goes"
and half a minute afterward there is
not n child In sight. The earth seems
TO have literally swallowed them.
The small boy OF uncertain age has n
way of lodging the issue that Is in
genious. There are boys who look IL
years old and are II. There are other
boys who are 10 and look II. II Is a
toss-up as to which Is the luckier Of
the two. The first Is "a puzzle to the
policeman and the other can prove
his age by the family bible If neces-
sary.
The other evening a crowd of small
boys were engaged In the d~clectable
pastime of cutting "a Watermelon" the
joint property OF them all, in front OF
a Minnesota avenue grocery store.
How do you like the curfew ordi-
nance. boys?" asked a man who VAS
watching the performance.
Huh! II don't bother me none" said
I'm 16. amt |. 4 ellers?"
Nav. yer amt" said one. Eyer on'y
IL. yah"
We'll, yer bet yer sweet life I'm Is
when the whistle blows, anyhow"
And that Is the way n great many OF
the boys will reckon their ages for sew
eral years to come II the curfew ordi-
nance remains in force.
The little girls respect the curfew
nightly, and when It blows they sour
ry away home as fast as their little
legs will carry them, even II they are
only two doors away from home and
not a policeman within a mile. They
have a greater fear OF the law than the
boys, and their fear OF a policeman and
the processes of the law Is awful.
The policemen like the curfew. For
half an hour after It blows they are
made a trifle more active in getting
over their beats and driving children
home, which, however, Ii not a difficult
task, for the children fee at the sight
OF a policeman. One night a policeman
met a small boy going along at about
half after 8 o'clock and said to him:
Here, do you know the curfew has
Blew" This is exactly what the po-
liceman said.
Yes answered the boy. But me
father sent me after a box OF blackin'
like this" and the youngster pulled an
empty tin box from his pocket.
well. come along home with me-"
said the policeman, AN well see how
about this"
So together they went to the boys
home, the boy not at all eager. The
boys father looked at the boy and
then at the policeman and said:
That's only one OF his tricks. He's
worked that blackin' box on the po-
licemen for a MONTH" So the backing
box was taken away, but 1t is likely
that the boy found something else be-
fore the next curfew blew"