The Portland daily press., 1896-10-14
THE NEW COPPER.
He Was Looling For Victim and E1DaiIy
Found One.

He Was Looking For q Victim and E4palIy
Found One.
Mike Finnigan, new ON the force, was
put on duty at one Of the besb known rail-
way stations in ChfSago Mike was a
keeniy felt the Importance Of wearing a
star and carrying a club He grimiy de-
termined to distinguish himself and make
tracks in the police heaven that could be
plainly discerned by as distant planet as
the chief himself.
Finnigan took hds plao GA the station
corridors and strutted about with a bear
ing that he felt sure would be terror to
all evildoers. He stood up so straight
that he nearly fell over backward. One
hand was constantly on the hilt Of his
billy and the other was ready at a mo-
ment's notice to fly to the gun in his
trousers. The man with eyes both in the
back and front of his head was 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
Cu4ko 6lulKIduu LOU 1tll d 6AASAO S1 uAA&ouANA
Of a chicken.
Such an exasperatingly quiet and peace
full station never exisNd. Finnigan had
been on his station beat two weeks and
had not made a single arrest With horror
be thought Of what his superiors might
think of such inaction. The new police
man felt that be 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 1t made the sweat start from sv-
cry pore in Finnigan's skin. He felt sant
he must do something, and do 1t mighty
quick, even II 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 Mixes perspicacity at last
brought reward. One evening young
man with a 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 1t to fellow who WAS probably an
Orangeman at the same time, for our po-
iceman 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 hsnd down on his shoulder
with force that nearly drove him through
his seat.
young Teller. yer under artist, " roared
Finnigan.
'What for? haven't done anything u
said the college student, for such he was,
as the orange how indicated.
eye hiven't, huhS Is that yer camel
WE'LL I jist guess I'll run ye in anyhow
and Mike frightened his grip on the YOUTH
collar.
'WelI, you can't arrest me when
haven't done anything" was the hot reply.
"Ye've violated the rules Of the station
II haven't done any such thing"
81 say ye has,
"What rule have Violated"
"Come here and I'll show ye," and Fin
nigan dragged the student over to where
the rules hung on the wall "Doye see thot
rule siven?" continued the policeman,
pointing out the seventh regulation. "D'yt
see what thot says-'Please use the spit
toon.' Ye kin read thot, can't ye? Well
ourn yer skin, I've been watchin ye Il
minutes, and ye haven't spit onct. "-Chi
cago Inter Ocean.