The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-18
(copvright by seumas MacManus)


William Mckinley and his cabinet hatter
themselves with the harmless fiction that
they rule America. And a percentage "a
small percentage) of American citizens.
too, are fooled into the same belief. But
my respected country man, the Irish po-
liceman, smiles behind his hand, for he
knows who the true ruler is.
On the third day that I was in this
country, travelling up a West Side quarter
of New York. l was attracted by voice
smacking of Cork raised high in rebuke,
and I drew to it. I found a burly Irish
policeman in dispute with a citizen. The
latter began quoting the law to the for
mer That's the law of the United
States" said the citizen, with a trium-
plant crow. D both you and the law
of the United States" said the police
man; its my law that runs this block
while I'm on it." The outraged citizen
threw up his hands, but he yielded the
field to his foe and went away cursng
the irish pol cetnan in his heart, I know.
Though the policeman was in a fury of
natural Indignation at the fellow having
dared to dispute his law. I approached
contentious scoundrel, thati' "Oh, d.
every fool of Them he replied. "One
would think they were running the coun-
try! Humphr' and he walked away,
snorting.
In last October I was once at midnight
returning from Brooklyn. There was
beautiful moonlight, so I walked the
bridge. Just before me were three young
seamps, English bloods. They We're not
behaving themselves as they might in
aristocratic London. They pretended
drunkenness and staggered so as serious
ly to disconcert the passers-by. And when
they succeeded in annoying gentleman.
who was conducting a lady over the
bridge, they laughed, or rather brayed
loudly and long. 1 was sorry someone did
not volunteer to wiring their necks. The
further they went the worse they con-
Quoted themselves but, just as they
reached the first pillars a big policeman
stepped forward. and. with brogue that
would butter bread, accosted them.
Look a-here, you three young jackan-
ares. straighten up and follow your nose
for home as fast as yer feet can carry
We. And imagine we're Christians till we
get out o. my sight"
The three lads did straighten up at
once, but they looked at the big police
man with that naughty and sstonished
Indignation which is a perquisite of blue
blood, for the duty of the British police
man is to look after the conduct and
morals of the lower classes only.
'SirrahH said one of them, do you
know who you are talking to?"
Faith, and don't It's God only knows
who We are. But If We don't take yer
selves off o'here in good order, and purity
rfafr
side of lookup acquainted with who We
ara "
l stood TO one side, enjoying the COM
edy.
we aw Englishmen, saw English gen
tiemen, say! We have only come to yo'
ID country to see the yacht race"
TO hear We talk I know yere English
men; and yer behavior shows yez to be
English gentlemen, sure enough. It's too
bad that yez have missed seem the yacht
race for so far. afther coming to- our
Id country; but yez must get some
valney for yer money. Race yerselves now
as II II was the divl take the hindmost,
Right about face. and go without stoppin'
TO thank me-" He blew his whistle and
drew his club and made feint of ami
hilating them. whilst the three bloods
scattered and bounded along the bridge
like rats in a panic. l laughed heartily.
and when | came up TO my biue-eoated
ID
tlebear races said l. And thereupon he
shook me cordially by the hand; for he
was a Connaughtman.
The Irish policeman az home IS a Brit
ish policeman, and consequently no spirit
ed Irishman enters that force He has
an idolatrous regard for the better
classes" whose boots he is almost ex-
pected to shine, and he is the terror of
the weak. If he finds a rich and loyal
man overtaken by liquor he calls a car
ond conveys him home but a poor man
caught under the same circumstances is
taken neck and heels and bundled into
the Black Hole. He is as ignorant as
he is truculent; and his moral strut. with
al, is almost imposing. A trader in Ire
land connot sell liquor on Sunday to any
one but bona fde traveler-and. under
the act, man must have slept on the
previous night, three miles, at least, from
the whisky: or from the town in which
the whisky is ladled out to him. police
man once, i'm a little Donegal town, was
examining witness in the prosecution of
publican who had violated the Sunday
liquor lew, and he propounded the cues
ton. "On the bartue of yer OATH were
we or were We not a honey fidey traveler?"
81 object" said the opposing attorney.
The policeman must explain to the wit
ness the meaning of the bona hde." Tae
peeier (as he is called in Ireland gave
a supercilious smile Said he 10 the Wit
guist, "Boney hdey is French for Did yS
sleep in this town las night "
There was also policeman in my part
of the world. who, finding that a goat was
a very necessary requirement to complete
the family circle desired to go to Bally-
shannan Fair to purchase one com
rade, Patrick McCaffrey had obtained per-
mission TO go TO the fair I'm civilian dress
or plain clothes, and Michael (his name
was Michal Brogan) ambitoned going in
ike manner. So. writing his inspector
for permission. he said:
Respected Sir-I wish leave for tho
second Of February for to 20 10 Bally-
shannon Fair to buy a goat In ulain
clothes like Constable Patrick Mccartney.
and has the honor 10 be. Your obedient
servant. Michael Brogan.
believe Michael obtained leave to go
10 Ballyshannon Fair but whether he sue
ceeded In getting q goat in plain clothes
and, II he did whether said goat did or
dld not bear a fiattering resemblance to
Constable Patrick McCaffrey subseouen,
NmE