The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1906-06-07
When the Law winked.

Dhu TEdHClsCOS bhy zEs-- ~
month, and the living part of San
Francisco still lights itself to bed
with candles, still cooks in the
gutter, still freezes in the packed,
fireless homes, for it must be known
that this GLORIOUS climate" varies
at 3 p. m. daily by reason Of the
fog laden wind that would make n
polar bear WINNER with discom-
fort.
Yesterday afternoon little girl
sat shivering on the curhstone at
Ninth and Folsom. The cold
wind whipped her thin skirt about
her bare legs and her smoke-be-
grimed knees knocked together.
She was about 8 years old, and her
trouble was awful for, before her,
gazing down upon her and her lit
tle brother. who nestled at her side,
was Patrolman No. 668, great
fierce looking fellow, with hron2ed
face, cheeks polished red hy the
weather, and one of those short,
savage mustaches which make one
think of black and tan terrier
shaking a rat. The features of
No. 6G3 wore all the awfuily ma
jesty of the Law.
No. 663 was the Law.
To the little girl, the eyes of No.
663 glared with the vengeance of
the Law, his bright star looked big
as the bottom of her mother dish
pan, and every shining button on
his well-kept uniform pierced her
wretched heart and read her guilt,
for by her side lay great bag, big |
as herself, filled with loot. 1t was
awful. Who would have looked |
for the Law in this vast desert of
crumpled walls and dusky ash
hills? Yet, here was the Law and
here the tell-tale bag, with track
in the ashes leading to nearby
ruins, as proof positive as that
made by snail in the creek bot
toms.
you've been looting," SAID No.
G68.
The little girl almost shrieked
at the word, for men had been shot
or hanged to a lamp post for that,
only a month back, and their eyes
had protruded and their mouths
run blood, horribly. Verify, it is
a word to drive poor children s
heads under the bed-clothes in
Frisco for years to come. 'Loot-
ers!' The child's eyes bulged in
terror, she drew her small bro ther
closer to her, shank within her
poor huttering dress and gasped,
as No. 6G3 united that bag.
The bag contained the ends of
ioists, siding, &c, from the new
of the Daily News-iust
bits of new wood for one of those
gutter "stoves" around which
groups of sad-faced women and
children gather to shiver while an
egg boils.
No. GG3 looked long at that wood.
Bits of wood are not much, ordi-
larily, but nowadays, in fallen
Frisco, the end of n scantling may
stop the fog from entering rich
oarlor, and it's against the Law,
It's stealing precious thing, to
AXE it. The Iaw-No. 663-
ooked surprisingly long at that
1ag of wood Then No. 6G3 looked
It the.urembling children and there
,ame something into his eyes that
vas brighter than his glistening
buttons.
"Run along home, " said No. 663.
T'il help yez wild it," and he
yinked great wink at the little
ooters. The Law had winked at
crime, again, as No. GG3 shoulder
ID the bag. Wonderful are chill
lren None like they (and honest
logs) to read the eyes, the faces,
he acts of the G great-hearted, and
10, as No. 663 grunted along under {
he load of wood, the girl went
his hand and the barefoot
10Y holding his coattail.
Arrived at Folsom and Sixteenth,
No. 663 put down the bag. 'It's
he end of me bate" he said, "but
is a divil of a load fer yez bits o.
,palpeens."
Three well-dressed men were en-