The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-05

was not yet over. He was grimly battling against the prejudice of his precinct com mander, Captain Schmidt of the -------- precinct. His captain was German, he Irish. and the national antipathy started it. Perhaps the senior officer dimly real ized in his heavy. methodical, Germanlc way. that Hogan's aggressive and intui- tive blood might some day in the near future supplant him behind the desk If It was not tempered by an authoritative douche. At all events, two less compe- tent men had been promoted over Ho- gan's head Hogans smile had become little more grim and his energy ittie more volatile. Then luck, for a heetlng second, had replaced her frown with smile. He made an important capture which placed him head of the eligible list despite the captains discreet, but never theless vigorous, disapproval That had been five years ago and his longed Tor promotion seemed as elusive as the 1oun- tain of eternal youth.
 No doubt if the Commissioner or Poilce had known of Hogan's ability and clean record he would have cast. an approving eve his way But the old Police Commis- soner was a new man who was more fitted as an after dinner speaker than nll- ing inc executive chair at Mulberry street.
 He was ali honorable, easy-going gentle man. who swallowed his captains re- ports without the usual digestive grain oI salt. If he had known of Hogans past life his two years descent to the leVel of the sodden with its foetid atmosphere Inf moral and physical degeneracy; if he had known of his superhuman fight Tor self-respect and moral cleanliness ms eyes would have been sympathetic as well as favorable. TOT, like all families there was n skeleton in the old Police Commis-- soner's chest. m
 Ills eldest son was black sheep Wlth an utter aversion to the whitewash brush The boy had always been wild and aiter several shady transactions in money mat ters, he had left his fathers roof to make A new record He had married girl or lower social standing than himseil, put of respectable parents. Then he had got in with fast crowd and the DIE cliy swallowed him. It was twelve years since the Police Commissioner had seen his son. but his love for him still ate lke canker at his heart. His hair turned gray, then white in the twelve years, but the boy's image ever confronted nm. lie waited patiently year by year for the re turn of the prodigal He made no enort to find him. He trusted bnndly 10 the boys inherent manhood. lie hoped ne had worked safely out of his past mis- takes. righted himself in his own and his fellow mans esteem. Then when ne had won recognition from the world he would return to him, and his past Would be laughed over and his present achieve ments praised. And he would be the one, the rightful one, to cheer his and the mothers declining years-the mother who had ever striven to be a buffer between the son and retribution in the family cir cle. and who was eating her heart out because the world would not admit or such services. Yes. the prodigal would return, weighed in the balance of human achievement and found no longer want | ing. And so the old Police Commissioner | dreamed
 l It was on misty evening in late Sep 1 tember when Captain Schmidt of the - precinct lined lip the night patrol in front of the desk for the usual instructions and orders. Among the bluecoats was one | John Hogan, plain-clothes man, who for l the past week had been on poolroom de-