Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-05-04
TOUGH, BUT HAS A AEART.
One Touch of Life ir the Crowded
Streets of CITY.

He was an everyday tough bull
necked, square ja wed, red of face and
with his hair cropped short in the fash
ion that rules at Sing Sing and is adj
mired of Battle Row. Any one could
have told it at a glance. The bruised
and wrathful face of the policeman
who brought him to Mulberry street to
be STOOD up before the detectives In
the hope that there might be something
against him to aggravate the offense of
beating an officer with his own club
bore witness to 1t. 1t told y familiar
story. The prisoners gang had started
a fight on the avenue, probably with a
scheme of ultimate robbery in view,
and the police had come upon 1t unex-
pectedly. The rest had got away with
an assortment of promiscuous bruises.
The kid" stood his ground and went
down with two cops" on top of him,
after valiant battle, in which he had
performed the feat that entitled him
to honorable mention henceforth in the
felonious annals of the gang. There
was no surrender in his sullen look as
he stood before the desk. his hard face
disfigured further by a streak of half
dried blood, reminiscent of the nights
encounter. The fight had gone against
him-that was all right There was
time for getting square. Till then he
was man enough to take his medicine;
let item do their wrost.
1t was there to read, plain as could
be. In his set jaws and logged bearing
as he came out, numbered now and in
dexed in the rogue's gallery, and start
ed for the police court between two
officers. 1t CHANGED that | was going
the same way, and joined company. Be
sides, | have certain theories concern
Ing toughs which my friend, the SER
geant, says are rot, and ! was not
averse TO testing them on the kid.
But the kid was bad subject. He
replied to MY friendly advances with n
muttered curse. or not at all, and upset
all my notions in the most reckless
way. Conversation had ceased before
we were half way across to Broadway.
He wanted no CUFF" and | left him
to his meditations respecting his de-
fenseless state. At Broadway there
was jam of trucks, and we stopped a t
the corner to wait for an opening.
1t all happened so quickly that only
confused picture of 1t is in my mind till
this day. A sudden start, a leap, and
warning cry, and the kid had wrenched
himself loose. He was free. was
dimiy conscious of a rush of blue and
brass; and then saw-the whole street
saw-a child, a toddling baby, in the |
middle of the railroad track right in
front Of the coming car. 1t reached ont
its tiny hand toward the madly clang-
ing bell and crowed. A scream rose
wild and piercing above the tumult:
men struggled with a frantic woman
on the curb, and turned their heads
away
And then there stood the Kid, with the |
child in his arms, unhurt. | sec him !
now, as he set it down gently as any
woman, trying, with lingering touch, |
to unclasp the grip of the baby hand |
upon his rough finger. l see the hard |
look coming back into his face as the |
policeman, red and out of breath, twist |
ed the nipper on his wrist. with half |
uncertain aside to me: Them toughs |
there amt no depending on nohow." /
Sullen, defiant, planning vengeance, I /
see him led away to jail Ruffian and /
thief! The police blotter said SO.