The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-02-16
World"

"Oho!" Exclaimed Policeman Flynn
Wol
AS Policeman Barney Flynn differs
iittle-at least, in one reSpect-from
the average man of limited means, the
approach of Christmas found linn
troubled. not to say pessimistic. He
heard the customary talk about Christ
mas; he saw the Christmas advertise
ments In the papers and the Christmas
goods in the shop windows; he read
the accounts of Christmas plans for
feeding or otherwise remembering the
poor; and the only effect it had on him
was to make him jingle the lucky
half dollar he carried in his pocket,
and shake his head dolefully.
"'Tis III da-ay iv tn rich," he said
to himself. "'Tis tn time whin re
wa-ant tWinty thousand dollars FIR to
do tn Fright thing be all tn good
people yn know. 'Tis tn da-ay Nv give
an ta-ake. an IL We can't give yere
ashamed FIR to ta-ake. an there we are.
IT was diff'rint in tn oil days whin
was la-ad, but now livery wan
who fa-snds We out two-bit sca-arf
Expects FIR to ha-ave as good or bet
Their ba-ack from We, an tn ray-sult
is we all 30 br-roke givin' things that's
iv no great use to amy wan. but tn
shtorekeepers that sells thin. It's
FIR me to shtall tn. good woman be a
little ta-alk iv har-rd times befoor she
spinds tn rint money buyin' fred ties
an sit-rr-a-nickel see-gars be tn
box"
With this object In view Policeman
Flynn entered upon a systematic cam
paign to discourage Christmas shop
ping, Ind he did it with his usual dip
iomatic ability.
'Ye can't impriss thing on tn
mind " woman be sayin' it wanst
an letiin' it go at that" he told him
self Eye must ding-dang 1t into her
head without lettin' her know what
ye're doin'."
So he began to drop incidental re-
marks about poverty and hard times,
with casual suggestion from time to
time to the effect that there would be
no Christmas in that house. Later,
wherever the moment seemed propi-
tious. he aired his Christmas views
more at length, and even illustrated
them with occasional stories. All in
all. he congratulated himself that he
was accomplishing his purpose with
exceptional cleverness and strategy.
Think Nv tn bargain days that fol-
lies Chris-mus!" he remarked one day
at breakfast "'Tis tn wa-ay iv tn
world. Whin We ha-ave no money
tn lads in tn shtores is thryin' fl
to ha-and things out to We at liss than
ha-alf tn cost to ma-ake thin. Ohio!
they're sma-art min. those fellies. All
tn year ye're sayin' to thin that they
niver thruly sell annythin at liss
than cost, an tn day afther Chris-mus
they come back at we an say: We'll
prove to We now that We can do thai
very thing be offerin' tn goods at liss
than cost whin ye're not in Shape II
to buy Thin tell We. Mary, tn wist
war is tn felly that plans FIR to ta-akt
thin up whin ;ney ma-ake tn bluff.
Tie logic of this seemed unanswer
able to Policeman Flynn, and a few
days later he supplemented it by re
minding her that the year before sh,
was near dead f thinkin' iv tn thing
we c'u'd ha-ave an comparin thin
with tn things We did ha-ave, all be
cause Nv tn ba-ad habit Nv goin' br-rok,
wanst a year." Next. after reason
able interval, he told her about Cullen
one of the men at the station.
9Th oaly throubie with Cullen" h,
said, was that his hea-art was so bi.
an RESPONSIVE that he c'u'dn't buttor
his visit over 1t whiniver amy wal
or lannythin' appealed to it. He hat
a good head. too. but t was nawthin
beside Nv his hear-rt. His head wa
always givin' him tn fright tip, bu
his hear-rt wu'dn't Fave him listen t.
it. That's why tn byes at tn station
has f'r to dodge him reg'lar afthe
Christmas. He come to me on til
twinty-sivinth da-ay Nv last Day-cim
ber-I ducked him on tn twinty-sixth
Known tn kind iv la-ad he was, bu
The corr cred me on tn twinty-sivintl
an he says to me. he says, Barney
he says, 4 ha-ave up to tn house. h,
says, a bright green nick-tie, an
red nicktie. an polky dot nicktie
an two pipes. an a box iv see-gars
an ol'-goli pair " suspinders, an
some shippers. an fut-rist,' he says
IAN the good woman do be havin'
sort Nv a dolly thing an silk pitt
coat, an some shtockins with pale
blue clocks on thin, an pink SHIRT
waist, an little statoo iv vanus f
to nut on tn kitchen shelf. an a
wather-earaffy. an new taypot,' h
says. an tn childher has a IRE
sca-arf, an a SHE'D. an a pair i
ska-ates, an a toy gun, an little pa
<hrol wagon, an some blocks. an