Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-04-13
OVERLAPPING A PAwNsHop.

is altogether too bulky an individual.
For his big blue coat and shining brass
buttons serve as danger signal for q
blocks distance SO that any gentleman
of tender conscience has ample oppor-
tunity to switch to side street. The
citizens clothes officer on the other
hand is a very unostentatious sort of q
fellow. His garb is often quite as shah
by as that of his intended victim and
he saunters along in SO innocent a fash-
Jon that the liveliest tough is apt to run
straight into his arms. Then, too, when
an overcoat is stolen, It is an officer in
citizens clothes that RECEIVERS it; when
burglary has been committed, the
slenth looks after the case, and in a
murder mystery the solution is again
dependent upon the brains of the plain
detective.
Sandwiched in between his patroling;
his serving of warrants, hunting up
addresses, and waiting for folks, tho
fly cop does occasionally get an OPP
'portunity to display the wonderful
genius of "Dick, the Boy Detective" or
"Old Slerth, the New York Terror.
Late in the evening, perhaps when tho
Officers are about to retire from days
wanderings, half the force is sent out
on special case. A mysterious murder
has been committed, q bank robber is
supposed to have arrived in the city or
gigantic theft is expected. The alac-
rity with which the detective worries
upon such occasions is really wonder
full; but 1t seems less surprising when
one considers the store of information
he has gathered during the days of loaf
ing. Some of his allegedly magic
tricks are exceedingly sagacious and
original, but as rule he has recourse
to few stereotyped devices modified
by Circumstances. In tracing stolen
property 1t is common to visit pawn
shops and fences in disguise. The
writer recalls the figure Of a iovial
1rishman, who upon several occasions
metamorphosized himself into the most
Hebraic Of shoe string vendors. Another
common device Of detectives is to turn
tramp. So disguised they prowl about
the haunts of criminals and are made
confidants in the deepest plots. But as
the danger of detection is imminent,
the sleuth soon withdraws from thu
chosen circle and resumes the garb of
an ordinary detective.
In so far, then, the dime novels give a
true picture of the life of detective:
namely, In that the incidents they re-
late have at least in modified form oc-
CURED. But one must keep in mind that
the sensational element constitutes but
o small, very small, part of the daily.
duties of the 'citizes's clothes' man.
He is the hardest and most patient OF
workers and for that he deserves the
public's thanks. E. T. GuNDLAcH.
That Was Why He Was Crazy.
''Look at that foolish Mr.. Baker out
on n day like this without an umbrella.
Is he crazy?"
"I'm afraid he is. Let's hurry on. I
don't want to meet him."
"Why not?"
''ITe may recognize this umbrella,
It's his."-Odds and Ends.
Struck His Colors.
He had faced the HSe of battle and had
never ninched or quailed:
He'd faced the widest savage tribes WITH
heart that never failed:
But q terror wild possessed him, which he
couldn't we'll conceal,
| When he saw new beginner wabble to,
ward him on a wheel
Chicago Times-Herald.
LIES Mysteries.
Servant-The president of the A. b. G..
Railroad company wants to see Mr..
| Greatman.
Mrs. Greatman (wife of legislator)
| Ask him to wait and then send out for
| my husband to come home at once. I
am just dying for new sealskin sack
and diamond necklace.-N. y. Weekly.
Alaud's Gowns
While Maud is schoolgirl. as you see,
| Short at the bottom her frocks must he:
| When she Is debutante they drop
| Long at the bottom and short ct the teu.l
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