The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-09-11
ARE NOT HAPPY
Warm Nights Increase
Duties of the Police.
In Second District Even
Babies Cause Trouble.
PEI ambulatOrS Left on Sidewalks
While Mothers Sleep.

| Police officers generally have consider.
able variety in their work, though many
citizens do not stop To think of this
The impression that patrolman's only
| duty is 10 walk over certain sidewalks and
| lay moro or less gentle hands on drunk
or street brawler is not a correct one.
There are many complaints to investi-
gate and the investigation of complaints,
which at times rise TO no higher dignity
than that Of neighborhood row, brings
the officers in touch with many queer
people. There's comic opera proverb
TO the effect that "a policeman's lot is not
IA happy one This may be true or not tut
his life is not monotonous.
The patrolmen OF the Second police dis
trict, which comprises one-third OF the
area OF the city, have more variety in their
work, probably, than those of any other
station. They like variety, too, ana they
tell some pretty good yarns about their
duties.
The beats are very different in their
topography. Some beats for the greater
portion of them have only trees. bushes
and cemeteries upon them. Men, OF course,
are changed from one beat 10 another.
Somo night, after heavy storm. pa
trolinan may have tn move "A broken tree
from the highway in order 10 ensure safe
travel for a milkman's steed and wagon
and the next night the same athlete will
simply have to move n perambulator.
Some portions OF this police district are
so congested that one wonders how the
people can live in it. They don't take
much comfort, that's certain either night
or day.
There are big tenement blocks on tho
lower part of Gladstone avenue which
the heat of one day does not leave until
the heat OF the next day overtakes it.
Late TO sleep and early to wake is the
unbrOken rule.
AS 10 going TO bod, we'll, only the sick
ones do that after the hot wave once
reaches their homes. Bv close living and
denial Of things the average citizen
thinks absolute nee sssitiefs these people,
most of whom come together from "a
strange .and are laying up money.
The Older mem pers OF the families sleep
in the Railways, as n general rule the
children roost where they can. The babies
are sometimes left in their carriages TO
/ get the air so necessary for them, on the
sidewalk.
Discerning persons must have noticed
how well children brought up with little
care thrive. Those children don't cry as
much as their pampered brothers and Sis
ters. tew CT the care o-taking mothers
will adopt the plans OF their less worldly
! favored sistepS. however.
When the babies are left in the psram-
bulAtors there is an increase of the duties
of the police officer on the beat III you
were up early some morning when a
shower was falling after a hot night you
might near baby CRY.
Pretty soon after you heard it cry you
would see a big broad -snouidered police
man, or rs the residents OF the locality
term him, cop" pick up the baby and 20
looking for It's mother. This task of find
ing the mother is MT always easy.
III the officer attempts to go INFO the
door of the block opposite which the per-
am mbulator was, he must he careful not TO
fall over half dozen nutStretChed forms.
The sleepcrs are of eXCitablo natures and
they are apt when disturbed to cry ont
murder robbers or something
worse. in a strange language.
! But at last the object of the officer )
visit is, after weary work. explained, and
word is sent up a couple of flights of stairs
To the little ones mother that her child
has been nearly drowned by the rain or
Is sick.
The mother takes it ana with the beauty
of her woman's heart that trouble nor
poverty has destroyed coddles il and
| bushes IL to sleep with the melodies OF
over 25 centuries ago. The woman who
could not sleep downstairs promised to
keep an eye on the youngster-if she did
il was n closed eye. The policeman gets
no thanks. II ho Is married man he
Just growls at tho unfairness Of having Co
look out for some one elses babies besides
his own. If he Is not married perhaps as
he thinks of his best girl and of the
trouble the youugster has just caused
him he discovered tha5 there may be a
few troubles in the llowery path lao hopes
soon to enter on.