The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-28
The Tramp and tho Policeman-An
O'er True Tale.

iSboin iustctu VI raNiiS N''"f
working In the garden, trimming tho
lawn, or doing something useful for exer-
else, found much pleasure In roaming
around the city and into the suburbs ON u
wheel, between sunrise and breakfast,
clad In negligee shirt, old shoes ana last
years suit.
Boom lived with his mother-in-iaw who
was wakeiul aud watcbful in the morn
ing. There were pears in the garden (this
happened last fall) and Airs. smith (the
mother in-law) believed that some of the
cherished seckels had disappeared without
the knowicdge of any member OF tho
family Looking from her chamber win
dow one morning about sunrise, she saw
% man In the garden. Her sight Ii not
goou at long range, but she could sec two
legs under a tree chat belonged, probably,
10 "a man. and the man, evidently Was
making free with the spicy seckels, for
the branches of the tree moved this way
and that.
What could she do? Her SON law,
Boom, had gone out on his morning
rambici for, being unusually wakefui, she
heard him leave the house. There was
no one to lend "A hand. stay. Perhaps n
policeman might &C near-Occasionally one
was seon on that street She went into
the other side-the street side-of the
house and lol az policeman, yawning,
hardly awake, was walking slowly by.
She raised the window, and calling 10 him
Soltly, statcu tno case.
Presto! he was different man imme-
diately and delighted with the prospect
OF taking "a prisoner 90 the station. Ha
lie would show the lieutenant that he
attended to business on his beat The
Policeman went quietly around the house,
TOOK ms bearings by a corner, ana saw
man, who, judging by his old shoes,
shabby hat and upturned collar. was
tramp. The audacious tramp was eating
stkstF F.slaf lfSll an l.
ing his pockets at the same time.
lie tiptoes across the lawn in the
tramp rear, gets within reach, aims Tor
the mans head, but "a branch OF the tree
causes the billy TO fall on the shoulder.
and the policeman finds himself face 10
lace with man six feet and more, and
broad and big in proportion. The picnic
begins.
hat was good one, and that one,
Too, unused Mrs. Smith, watching the
NM FROM her window, as the policeman
brought his billy down crackajack on the
pear steaier. that's right That ii teach
nun 10 let pears alone, but, she con-
tinued in scorn. "how audacious in the
man, hardened creature, tn resist the oifi-
Ger In the discharge of his bounden duty
y, that such men are allowed TO be at
large! Why, why L hope no won't hurt
the policeman, and she ran TO call her
daughter, Mrs. Boom.
Tor the policeman. The man who was help
ing himself To pears, now thoroughly
aroused, thumps him right and lett
dnder this tree and around that, tangles
him up In the grape vine, and plays fast
ana loose with him generally. When
Mrs. Smith appeared at the window again
with her daughter, she saw the policeman
lying flat, face down, with his hands tied
across his back with the end of the
clothesline, and the man who had helped
himself TO pears was sitting upon the
prostrate form of the policeman calmly
wlplng the perspiration ana eating pears
'Oi, screamed Mrs. Smith, "see what
he's done The wretch Run right out
and call another policeman-a dozen
What an ago we are living In when
ruiiians and thieves ovcrpower the guar
dians OF our property That man shall
suffer If l live!"
What docs this means' exclaimed
are you setting the police on himy He
started out to ride few minutes ago
Can't he help himself to bears without
your calling the policey' I
What JohnY Is il possibley Well, he
might be in better business than riding
that two wheeled thing at this hour in
the morning-better stay in bed or do
something useful The window went
UP. 'JohD, shouted Mrs Smith, "let
the policeman up this minute. He isn't
to blame l called him. Thought you
were a tramp stealing pears ~
THANK you over so much, ma'am
shall do nothing of the kind. When I've
rested Il bit and had few more pears
unless you and the policeman down below
me here, object, l shall take him TO the
station house, clothcsline and all I'm
going that way I'll find out if / can pick
pears in my own garden-I mean your
garden-without the interference of a
policeman. But I'm in 10 hurry
haven't had such IA soft cushion to sit on
for long timel'
This brought the mother and daughter
into the garden, and after "a long parley
compromise was effected. Apologies
were exchanged, they shook hands ali
around, and Mrs. Smith invited the police
man to take all the pears he wanted mt
anytime without asking. Boom mounts
his wheel and rides away, muttering, "Of
course, / was To blame OF course But,
that was good exercise-and-aud great
fun! I'm lilnbcrcd up right to maze
thirty mile run! I"
LLEWKCOTS.