The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-01-12

lost the tendency towards sympathy
and application of the golden rule
which the young, still tender woman
is prompted to give even to the unde-
serving. The female detective is not,
and dare not be, romantic she is not
susceptible to bribery, tears, or. pa
thetic tales. However, she is not en-
tirelv hardened. and is often noble
woman at heart. In most cases, she
is woman with a dramatic past, fond
of excitement and adventure often
hungry for prey. Her occupation
feeds this appetite, and she derives a
good living from the remuneration 1t
offers. She possesses many masculine
traits of character. Pity for her own
sex never weakens her, and. in this
respect, men will say she is purely fem
mime.
Around the holidays she is especially
alert and watchful, and her suspicious,
trained eve is quick to discern a dishon-
est person. Arrayed in a modest gown
of black, with a package or two in her
arm, and pocketbool in her hand. she
looks a typical shopper. She follows
the person or persons she suspects,
justly or unjustly. and keeps within
close range of them all the while She
will stand for half an hour or so over
hat, examining it, incidentally her
quck eyes glancing at well-directed in
tervals at the objects of her watch
She waits until she sees the suspected
ones pay for the article they have been
lowering near. If thy make a. move to
conceal it without paying, she waits
until the article is out Of sight then
she does not go up to them at once,
but follows them upon their journey
through the store, and the triumph at
the finale is worth the perseverance,
and strain it has cost. She never ac-
cuses a person until she is certain, and
has ample proof that he or she has
stolen the article.
In answer to the question, DO KEEP
tomaniacs, shoplifters, and thieves
grasp the article impulsiveIy, or do
they mediate, watch, and use discre-
tion2" she answered.: "Often the per-
son looks at the object and walks away
from 1t, acts restlessly for awhile, then
walks deliberately back and awaits a
chance to conceal it,"
The Shoplifter. In a way is an an
archist. The shoplifter who resembles
the anarchist enters the store with the
idea burning in her brains that no
class of people has right to the tempt
ing articles displayed because they
have money with which to purchase
them. She is not philosophical, and
rarely has intelligence to reason away
her bitterness. She is selfish and de-
fiant, and must be handled roughly.
Then there is the woman who cannot
resist the temptation to steal. She usu-
ally is a weak character. fond of dis
play. impulsive and regardless Of re-
suits. This type of nature is usually
a generous one, childish and cowardly.
The woman detective possesses an
iron will. steady resolve and determina-
ton. She suppresses enthusiasm,
when there is any, and goes about her
task calmly and calculating. She is
not self-conscious, and the guilty feel
ing never annoys her. The shopIifter,
in most cases, recognizes the faces, IL
there were any about. that her brain
photographed; she never remembers
having noticed the lady detective.
This is a field of labor that is not
over-crowded, but the. demand is not
great. The essential qualifications are
discretion, perseverance. comprehen-
sion, quickness, a meditative spirit
rather than an impulsive one, and.
above all, a conservative tongue. The
woman who cannot contain herself I'M
til she tells her neighbor would never
do In this last particular the woman
detective Is exceptional.