The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-26
PUT 1T OFF TILL SATURDAY,
BECAUSE CHRISTMAS WAS A HOLI.
DAY AND HE HATED THE
IDEA.
ANGELS NOW WEAR FUR COATS
In the Vivid Imagination Of one
Family Of the Kids the Cop
Despfsed.

as the newspaper man, putting and
painting, reached the top of Selby ave-
nue. hill. The noise Of the city was
hushed. The horn blower had retired
for the night, the angelic chorus of
peace and good will had performed
their little piece and retired for another
year. The air had the CLINT of genuine
Christmas weather, and in the bright
moonlight the sparkling frost could be
seen quivering in sthe~gentle western
breeze. Far up Selby avenue a shape
less mass was moving slowly. The
newspaper main was not frightened at
the dark and silent object, for he knew
it was his friend, the big policeman,
who guards the welfare Of the good
people in the fashionable neighborhood
of the Seventh ward To catch his
breath the belated one sat down on
the stone wall about the Kittson house
and awaited the approach Of the fur
clad officer
Merry Christmas, Jim," said the
newspaper man, as the officer came
within hailing distance.
"Gwan," was the short and savage
response. What reason have you to
be merry, or me, travelin' a beat. when
we both ought to be at home hours ago
gettin' ready for the babies. who'll
6e up and shoutin' before 6 O'Clock. I
don know
That's all right for me, Jim. but
you haven't any babies, and besides
We heard you say you hated children
worse than cat. hates dogs"
Ihats all right, too,'' said the Of
ncer but when man gets to be my
age ne ought to be married and have
oozen childer. Besides, I may have
q part interest in some of the finest
KIDS We ever saw before long. Ye know
the widow told you about-well. she's
got too Of the blamedest little gossoons
We ever did see, and she says to me:
'Jim If I say yes, will We be GOOD n
the little vans just like that. and T
saiu' BET yer life, little woman But.
as matter Of fact, don't like chill
uren. Ihey're such helpless, under-the-
Ieet-ail-the-time creatures, and If they
am yeilin' in misery because they
nave the stomach ache from not eatin'
enough or from eatin' too much or
somethin' like that, they're in such
plame good spirits an make SO much
noise there's no Twin in the same ward
with EN- II We want to sleep-an' me
an officer who has to get all his sleep
In the daytime and livin' next door tn
a school house.
Falk1n' about kids, there's one m
mere little ways I'm going to arrest
before l go off the beat this rnornin,
re see it was like this. Last night
just after l came on, I saw this little
Ieller nang1n onto q street car. He
was stealth a ride, and he looked 50
urea and miserable I never said moth
IN to the conductor AT Western ave
nue. the kid dropped off the car while
the people We're gettin' off an I said to
HIM, quiet like, Better quit yer foolin,
tnere, Kid, or you'll get hurt lust
ike that. The little devil turned am
sald, 1mp1dent like, 'Gwan. We Mick
wen, tried to catch the kid to spank
MN IN honor of the day and for
the nonor Of me nationality but he
was TOO sick for me. A block further
81 ne leiI from the car trying to dodge
the conductor, and was pretty badly
nurt, 1t was reported, but when went
70 look the matter up, the clerk in
frosts said the kid had walked home
and L guessed>he wasn't. much more
than skinned. But when vt Through
walking this beat I'm going over to
MS house-the drug clerk told me
that boy out Of bed and give him the
worst scarin' he ever had. But LET'S
Shift the topic. When I think of the
blamed boy l get mad. What are We
goin' to do today? I'm going to get m
at 4 and call on a friend who ALWAYS
makes eggs, sugar and a little brown
STUN out OF a jug ON Christmas day.
along 81
The newspaper man begged off. Had
another engagement to look UP a sur
fer1ng family; mother a widow four
little children, no food, no clothing for
the baby-all that sort Of thing.
NOW that's what makes me mad"
groWled the big policeman, kicking the
lamp post like school boy in a fit of
sulks. Here's another case Of kids.
Ii that woman didn't have kids She
wouldn't have all this trouble. What
right has she to have babies and moth
in to feed 'em with. I'll bet me wages
she's a fraud. Where does she live.
did You say? I'll bet she ought to
be reported to the police for workine
charity dodge Here, hang this on
the tree for yer little girl" and the
big man handed over a box of CANDY.
The clerk in Ramaley's gave it to me
last night, and said, sarcastic like
Jim, take this to yer youngest, lust
like that. 'Spose he thought I'd blush
and sneak. But I fooled him. / took
the candy to give to that little girl
WANT always yells Carrots at me. but
1 didn't see her tonight Well. SO long
Merry-well. here's hopin yell have a
fine time with the kids this mornin'."
Yesterday afternoon. the reporter.
having finished his Christmas dinner.
and helped his little girl eat the police
mans candy, went over into the Eighth
ward and found the widow and little
ones reported to be destitute But
there was evidently some mistake. On
the front porch of the little cottage
were two children, one of whom had a
sled, and the other, clean but ragged
little girl, Rugged a prepoSteGously big
doll. A pale little woman. dressed
in black, answered the reporters knock.
Yes, she had been in want but, for
the present, she was provided for.
Johnny had fallen from a street car
Christmas eve, and hurt his back, and
was in bed, but a policeman who had
heard of the accident, came to see the
lad and left some Christmas things
for the children besides. Then the story
came out. 1t was shortly after O. clock
yesterday morning when the policeman
came to the house, and said he had
been ordered to find out what the poor
woman needed. Did the boy need q
doctor? Did they have a turkey and
cranberTies in soak for dinner? All
these questions, and many more, equal
ly impertinent, the police officer asked
in his gruff way. Il was frightened
at first, he was SO rough in his man
ner," said the little woman, But soon
saw that he meant to be only kind
We had nothing in the house except
what the neighbors had sent in the
night before. have been bedridder1
for three weeks and could not work,
IL, 7 :. q