Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-10
CANDY TEMPTS
.C0VETOUS KIDS
PRY STORE SCREEN AND HELP
THEMSELVES
Big Policeman Comes Along and Lays
His Hand on Youths Whose Fu-
ture Now Appears
Darker

The whole corps Of reporters in the
central police station rushed to the
sergeant's desk, for the patrol wagon
had just arrived and its clang gave
promise Of criminal news to break
the monotony of silence that had given
the boys ennui.
There was an exclamation from all
that expressed disappointed chagrin, as
the only Criminals" before the desk
sergeant proved to be two diminutive
little dirty youngsters of nine and
six, who held each others hand like
the babes in the woods" seeming to
look to each other for protection from
the reporters and the grim catechtzing
sergeant who relentlessly probed the
youngsters with questions that be-
wildered them to the point Of crying.
What is the charger" the sergeant
asked, with a look of austerity at the
trembling rogues. all the more to make
them respect the majesty of the law.
Burglary" said the policeman, and
the reporters exchanged looks of
amazement
Some who had started to leave, think
ing the little rascals but petty often
ders and unlnteresting, returned at the
credulous, for the prisoners we're such
little tots, apparently too innocent to
do more than break a neighbours win
dow.
Start to Cry
Names" continued the desk ser
geant, and again the babies trembled,
hugging closer to each other and start
ing to cry
The sympathetic officer beside them
touched their arms and told them to
tell the good sergeant their names.
The older of the lads faltered.
my name is Harvey-Harvey Han
son, and his name is Raymond Cobb"
How old are you?" Still the big
fearsome man in the blue coat per-
sisted, and it seemed this time the
tears would surely come, but the brave
little spokesman placed his arm about
his pal and together they piped, Mine
and a half, and, six
Then the story of the juvenile Of
ferse followed.
The boys had seen some very enticing
candy in the grocery at 2209 Mateo
street, next to which Raymond, the
younger lad lived, and with covetous-
ness they put their closely shocked
little heads together in vain effort
to think of some stratagem by which
| that candy-such good candy, all colors
But Harvey's parents were so very,
very poor that they could not spare a
penny from their bread And oh the
pity! Raymond's mama was sick, with
only few dollars to pay for food and
| fuel, wee babe to care for and papa
was away UP north in hospital at
| San Francisco.
But the little fellows gave up the
| task of solving the problem of how
| ~ oat conneth hing for nothing. which
worries their elders so often and, too
like their elders, they surrendered to
temptation.
Attack Screen Door
Raymond, the wee little fellow of
six. was the instigator of the burglary,
and with plans for the execution of
their theft that would have done justice
to Pat Grove, they proceeded to carry
out their first crime.
| Having cut a small hole in the back
screen door, which was the only bar
rier between them and the bounty of
sweets inside, the latch was easily
slipped, and the younger of the two
| boys went in to get the booty.
The older boy remained at the look
out, "ready to give the jigger;'' as he
said. with something like look Of
pride.
With his hands and pockets loaded
with all manner of "all-day-Suckers,
law breakers and other wonder
creations of candy-land, the little bur-
glar came out, and together the two
youngsters ran for escape.
But big policeman saw them They
ran from him until their little legs
grew weary to exhaustion, and the
great hand of the law grasped them
in it's thorny clutches.
Now their candy lies in the sergeant's
desk, and the boys are waiting to face
their first charge of crime at the De-
| tention Home.