The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-12-28

In meditative mood Policeman Bar
ney Flynn was smoking his pipe in
front of his little home when the cry
Of Flight! Fight" was raised down
the street and everybody started run
ming in that direction-that is, every
body but Flynn. He continued to puff
at his pipe as if there was nothing
unusual going on.
Barney" exclaimed Mrs. Flynn,
suddenly appearing in the doorway,
why don't We wake up?"
"Divil ta-ake tn pipe," commented
Policeman Flynn. "'Tis no betther
than tn flue iv tn kitchen shtove
that's always gettin' shtopped up"
Dye hear, Barney, that two fellies
is poundin' thimsilves up over fer
ninst tn corner?" persisted Mrs.
Flynn.
"Ha-ave We seen Terry foolin' with
tn pipe?" asked Policeman Flynn, ig-
noring his wife's question. "'Tis all
wrong an I can't make it draw at
ALL"
Mrs. Flynn's indignation at being
thus ignored was so great that she
promptly snatched the offending pipe
away from him.
Barney" she said impressively, "are
ye tn guardeen iv tn peace or are We
not?"
81 am" he replied, "but I'm not tn
guardeen iv tn fights. Are we tired Nv
me that We wa-ant me FIR to mix it up
with two la-ads that's hayin' a bit iv
throuble bechune thimsilves?"
II wa-ant ye to show that ye're a
man an po-lisman," asserted Mrs.
Flynn. ''They do be fightin'."
I'm off juty," protested policeman
Flynn, IAN it's not on me beat amy
way. Sind in tn riot-call If We think
tits r-rigght f'r to interfere. Lave me
have me pipe now, an don't be afther
botherin' me. Dye think I'm lukkin'
f'r black eyer"
II think ye're lukkin' f'r chanst
to show that ye're coward" said
Mrs. Flynn, scornfully.
Now, ordinarily, Mrs. Flynn's asper-
sions on her husbands proves are
sufficient to rouse him to action, as has
been demonstrated on many occasions,
but this time the method failed.
Dye ray-mimber tn da-ay I come
home with me coat tore an me
knuckles bleedin' an big lump over
me lift carr" he asked.
81 do" answered Mrs. Flynn.
81 shtopped fight that da-ay," said
Policeman Flynn, and then, after a
pause sufficient to enable his wife to
grasp the connection, he added: "D'ye
ray-mimber tn time Maloney whit to
tn hospittle FIR to be stitched up?"
Nv coorse / do" admitted Mrs.
Flynn.
He shtopped fight that da-ay," re-
marked Policeman Flynn. II tell We,
Mary, whin ma-an wants FIR to fight
it's fright to lave him have his fill iv
it."
otis not juty," insisted Mrs. Flynn.
But tits sinse," said the policeman.
"Ye see, Mary, It's all in KNOWN how.
Whin ma-an is fightin' mad It's a
small matther to him who he does his
shcrappin' with. He'll start in fight
in wan ma-an an wind up be fightiG'
another, an tbs more satisfyin' to him
f'r to take welt at tn peacemaker
than at amy wan ilse. If We was on
tn foorce, Mary, ye'd larn that We niver
sh'u'd interfere In a fight ontil We
can lick both Nv tn parties to 1t, f'r
It's tin to wan that's what yell have
FIR to do"
Thin We won't shtop tn hght?"
suggested Mrs. Flynn.
81 told We, Mary" returned the po-
liceman, "'tis all in KNOWN how. Nv
coorse I'll shtop it whin it's time. /
ha-ave me eye on thin, an I'm wait
In"
He glanced down the street again
and slowly rose to his feet.
"Whin two fellies is fightin'," he
said, IAN wan iv thin is gettin' tn
worst iv 1t, It's all Fright FIR to
shtep in, FIR tn la-ad that's bein' done
up will be gia-ad to have We; but whin
tits an even thing We betther keep out
ontil tn both iv thin ha-ave all they
want iv it. IT'S not so hazard to han
die licked ma-an."
Just then Terry came racing back
from the corner where he had been
watching the fight.
ooh, it's d bully fight" cried the
boy
"An' fair?" asked Policeman Flynn
Sure" answered the boy.
"Nobodv usin' br-rass knuckles or
br-rieks OF knives?"
oh, no! Reg'l rough and tumble"
AN neither Nv thin picked on tn
other?'s
NO; it's an even thing. They've
been threatening to get together for
month"