The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-07-26

again. but the odds are against MIN
from the start, and in the end. IN
ninetv.nine cases out of a hundred,
he's nobbled."
You're a bit Of an enthusiast
aren't you?" asked Billery.
What feel Is" the sergeant an
swered, that If a man don't believe IN
his profession he'd better get out OF IT
and find new 'un. You newspaper
gents. now. You amt half fair to US,
II you'll allow me to say SO. Ii there
any little bit of a Robbery about the
police and the public, it's the organiza-
ton that gets blamed. 1t amt the Or
ganization that's in fault; it's the In
diyidual. There's fools in the force,
but. bless your soul, there's fools eV-
erywhere. There's wrong 'uns in the
force, but there's wrong us every
where. What | says is the force is
human institution, and for human in
stitution it's pretty bad to beat
Have you been a unit in the human
institution long?" Billery asked.
Eighteen years" responded the
sergeant. Started in beastly little
mining village in the Black country
lust north of Birmingham. Saved up
for a Popular Educator Taught my
self shorthand, French and German.
Got transferred to the town. Had one
or two smart chances and got to Lon
don. One or two more chances and
then to the Yard. It's hard work
sometimes, and it's responsible work
always, but it's work l like, and |
shall stick to it till I'm superanuated."
Well" said Billery, its a fine
thing to be satisfied with your own
career"
when | was at Chelsea years ago."
said the sergeant, there was an old
party of the name of Carlyle, who was
a q ID deal looked up to in the neigh
borhood He wrote books. I've
Dipped into one or two of 'em, but they
was mostly too deep for me. One
thing | noticed perhaps because, in a
manner of speaking, 1t was profess.
sional. The police force, he says, Is
the apron of society. Now, that's a
wise word 1t amt an exalted gar
ment, an apron isn't, but it's useful.
It saves a lot of dirt and damage.
Carlyle, the old gentleman's name
was"
I've heard of him." said Billery.
Very highly thought Of, he was, -
said the sergeant. Why should
think if one man has asked me for his
address there's been a hundred. Most
~ Germans and Americans. I've seen
some of 'em standing in front of the
house he lived in with their hats off.
| should think he was as well thought
not quite so public a character. And
that was his opinion about the force.
The police, he says, is the apron of
society"
The sergeant appeared to derive
great satisfaction from this testi-
mOnial, and he repeated it more than
once under his breath. Then he and
Billery walked along In silence in the
direction of the local tramway line,
and, turning abruptly round a corner,
the sergeant cannoned against a
pedestrian who was walking smartly
in the opposite direction. There was
a mutual recoil and apology, and the
pedestrian was about to resume his
way when he looked up and caught
sight Of Billery. He was burly man,
dressed with cheap and vulgar
smartness, with a big butterfly tie of
terra-COtta color and a heavy chain of
undeceptive yellow metal across his
waistcoat. He wore his hat cooked
over one eye. In one hand he carried
an unlit cigar stump, and in the other
a single glove which had seen long
service.
'Helloa, Grimaud!" cried Billery
What brings you to this part of the
world"
'I?' said the other, in fairly fluent
English, but with a marked French
accent IL will be hanged if | can tell
you | am taking a constitutional. |
am always so fascinate by this great
city of London. | walk in it for
hours. The exercise does me good
1t keeps my fat down"