Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-21
CUREEW CONTINUES
NIGHTLY TO RING
THREE LITTLE TADS WANT TO
ENJOY MOONLIGHT
Majesty of the Law Must Be Upheld,
but a Kind-Hearted clerk
Pays the
Fine

1.-THE curfew tolls the knell of parting
day,
The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the
lea,
The plowman homeward plods his weary
way
And leaves the world to darkness and
to me-"
Thus sang the poet Gray many
years ago, but three small lads arraigned
in Justice Roses police court yesterday
thought that a part of the world was
left to them They said the curfew rang,
perhaps. all right, but they did not hear
it, and as the teacher in school said the
world was left to darkness and to me-
they thought they would stay out and
take their share of 1t.
The boys who were accused of the
high crime of breaking the curfew or
dinance were Willie Parker. Leonard
Trip and Walter Armstrong.
Away out on the east side the trio
wandered under the shady trees and
played steps" and "beefsteak" until it
was 8 o'clock.
Then all went home but the three lads.
Want to See the Moon
Say. fellers, let's not go home" said
one Nav; de moons too beautiful,
said another, land jes' afore school
closed teacher said we ought ter spend
our summer Citing next to nature. we
has got next to the day side, all right,
but wot's the matter wit the night side.
Gee, I'd like ter know wot de night
things do that she tole us about. Bats
and owls and de things that fuss around
the 'lectric lights"
Yep" said the third decsively, well
stay, and eff de cop gets onto us Wen
ditch, and if we don't ditch quick enough
we'll cry and tell him we wuz just going
home and didn't know it wuz so late, and
we got lost and dat we wuz good kids,
and"
At this point sure-enough bluecoat
loomed up big in the darkness in the
person of Patrolman McAuliffe.
He pinched us and we wuz sent to
de detenhsion home, but our folks fooled
i'm, for dey came and bailed us out"
one explained to Justice Rose.
The justice looked the boys over and |
gave them lecture on the benefits of
sleep in aiding the growth of the human |
into bed real early and exercised a great |
deal they might get to be as big as
Jeffries.
''Whoo, whot do We think of that" one |
ad broke out excitedly.
After promising by all the oaths known
to the realms of boyhood the lads were
told to go and not to sin again.
They promised
Officer Pays the Fine
Touched by the scene of boyish artless-
ness just described Clerk P. P. O'Brien
Of Justice Roses court shortly there
after paid 81 as conscience money to the !
of his boyhood days.
Walter Often. a lad who could just |
see over the counter, had been found |
guilty of riding his bicycle on the side
walk. The justice regretted to fine the |
lad but the law must be enforced, so
he set the amount at the minimum of 81. |
Walters eyes looked like the deep. |
blue sea on a quiet summer morning, |
and it seemed that the little waves of !
tears would soon deluge the white shores
Of his eyelids. He shook his head man.
fully to himself gulped and shuffed over
to the clerks desk.
Twenty NickeIs Is the Limit
At the desk the boy pulled out a long
sack in which jingled many coins. He
dug down into the bottom and began
bringing to light his hoard of winter and
spring savings, which he intended to use
FOR Slingshots and other things One by
their faces at the end of the sack With
each dig the little arm had to reach
farther down. At last the boy heaved
a sigh. There were twenty nickels on |
the counter.
But the sack was empty. O'Brien
leaned over the counter.
whats the matter, son?" he said.
O'Brien has children of his own.
''Nuthin', only it's all Use got in de |
sack
That's all right sonny" said the
quiet, genial-faced clerk. 'Ill pay your |
fine"
THANK you, mister" and the little
boy scraped all the nickes, back into |
the sack and went out of the court room |
with last long look at his benefactor.
Confronted with the evidence of his |
kind act O'Brien denied that he had ever |
heard of such boy, but a light in his |
eyes gave him away. Not all people |
at the police station have frozen hearts. |