The Washington times., 1904-01-31


is not necessarily devoid of interest.
There is always present good-sized
stan, including the detective on office
duty. the sergeant in charge. the
clerks, the bureau operators, and half a
dozen newspaper reporters, and between
them they manage to make existence
worth while.
On ordinary nights this force is kept
busy taking care of the various reports
which come in from the different sec
lions of the city. But once I'm a while
there comes a night when there is
nothing doingt' and then the ingenuity
OF the crowd is taxed to pass the hours.
for the fact that something is liable TO
break loose" at any moment prevents
anyone leaving.
AlVeteran's Tale.
On such a night as this last week. six
pairs OF feet were elevated to the tops
room. and clouds of smoke were sent
ceilingward. while the veteran launched
into "reminiscences:
Speaking of pipe Dreams you young
sters have never seen the real thing.
Now there was the Red Devil story.
Some twelve years ago. when l was on
the staff Of a metropolitan daily. man
! in one of New York's foreign colonies
accumulates a glorious bun. and, by way
OF diversion. goes home and kills his wife
and half a dozen children i'm truly
CHASTITY manner. 1t was a peach of a
murder story, without any trimmings.
but it got the trimming all right.
The night Of the murder two of the
boys on the STATS of what were then the
Gotham yellows felt a strong inclination
| to noodle and at the same time make
! good with a rafting beat. Just how
/ TO do this they had not figured out,
and in order 10 stimulate their think
| tanks, they took an adjournment 60 the
| nearest barroom. On the way there
they CHANGED to pass a curiO shop. in
the window Of which were displayed a
number OF these little red devils. sit
ting on their forked tahs, formerly
much in use as paperweiEhts. An in
spiration came to one of the fellows
| and he entered the shop and purchased
one of the toys for a trifing sum. Re-
| turning TO the police station they made
! some excuse for a second examination
of the effects of the murderer. In the
course of which they managed to
I secrete with them the grinning devil
A Wonderful Story.
Adjournment was then taken to one
of those booze shops where there are
tables and chance to scribble while the
lager is trotted to your elbows, where
they proceeded to evolve a wonderful
story OF devil worship. and the straits
to which it had brought Mr.. Murderer.
The story made good. and the next
day was spread all over the first page
of their respective papers. with ap-
propriate illustrations, representing his
satanic majesty perched upon the man
telpiece. with conventional background
of wreathing smoke, while. in the fore
ground. the desperate criminal knelt in
alteration.
''Of course. 1t was a beautiful beat on
the other fellows. and. as investigation
showed the red devil actually among
the effects. the story stood alone. and
these rapscallions were commended and
had their salaries raised, while all the
rest OF the bunch were cussed for a
lot Of leatherheads. who did not know q
story when they saw it..
Google Got Busy.
Gee. it's slow tonight" said another
of the gang. when the laugh had sub
sided. then turning to Coghill. the bu.
reau operator. said CogGie.' hustl,
something of the wire. or we shall al
die Of softening of the brain. and oul
papers will be cheated out Of tn,
amounts of our respective salaries"
''All right" said CoghiIl. III see wha
I can dig up for you" Going TO his lit
tie cuddyhole. he presently returned anC
solemnly fled a slip on the incidenta
hook
Something doing at last" said al
with one accord. making simultaneoui
grabs for the slip OF paper. This
what they read. and CoghilTs contribu
ton TO the fun OF the evening:
About l this p. q. an alteration
took place between leather headet
bulldog and a castiron- jawed tomcat
both colored, and residing on Fidler'