Evening journal., 1908-12-15
The Red Headed Policeman
Copyright. 1851

had awoke and was making ready TO
get up. she had been frightened half
to death by the sight Of a lars mon
key at the open winodw. She had
screamed out. and the animal had fed.
Later in the day she had seen the
monkey frisklng about on the roof of
the shed attached TO the house next
door, into which a stran~cr. who was
evidently foreigner. il y moved three
or four days before lie was a man
Of middle age. and there was an old /
woman with him. probably to act as
housekeeper.
"And I'm asking you, sir continued |
the woman as she raised her hand and /
waved it to and fro. 'if it's the law in
America that a foreigner and an old |
woman and a rascally monkey can
move in next door TO a respectable
widow woman. who has paid taxes for
the last fifteen years, leaving the mon
key 10 run at large and scare people
out of their seven sensesT
"Its an Italian. ma'am, who is your
new nelghbor," answered the police
man. Il was iabbering with him the
day be rented the house."
"Then he's in the hand organ busi-
ness?'
"Then he's not. ma'am. He's in the
count business. He's had TO fly from
his own sunny skies TO save his life.
You ought to be proud that you have a
live count living next door"
Three or four days later the police
heard at the station to which he was
attached OF a bold burglary in the
nelghborhood A burglar had entered
by second story window and made a
haul Of money and jewelry, and no
clew had been left behind This bur-
glary was followed by another within
twenty-four hours, and then came
what the police and press called a
"wave' Of crime, though it was strict
ly confined to despoiling private resi-
dences. In some cases it was impossi-
BILE to tell how entrance had been ef-
fected. In others It was plain that an
open window was the route.
OF course the detectives Investigated.
and Of course when no arrests follow
ed they got roasting in the newspa-
/ pers. 1t reached the point where the
| chief of police was asked 10 resign as
n man utterly untitled for the place.
In return he bounced two OF his de-
! tectives because they could not pick
up clews where no clews had been
left Then the red headed policeman
sat down TO do some thinking. He
thought Of many a thing before he fol
lowed the line down to the widow who
had told him about the monkey.
Then he began TO scratch that red
hair and think the harder and finally
decided TO take n walk around on
Sands street and see If the count still
occupied the house. He reached the
house Of the widow first. Again she
was standing on the steps At sight Of
him she descended TO the walk anC
said
$50 It's you. is IL? I've been wait
ing a whole week to ask you if it's the
habits OF monkeys to 80 to bed Ike
honest folks at night and get up al
a reasonable hour in the morning OF
whether they are philanderlng all over
town after midnight and coming home
any time before daylight"
'In the wilds Of Africa. ma'am"-
began the officer, but was interrupted
with:
"But these are not the wilds Of Az
rica. I've been doing some watching
for these last few moonlight nights.
didn't know but the Black Hand
would be coming for the count next
door. I've seen the monkey come and
go half a dozen times. He comes and
goes by way Of the shed roof"
"And what Of II, ma'am-what OF
TT" asked the officer.
Il can't say, sir, but It's a matter
that bothers me. thought I'd speal
Of It and let it bother you"
1t did bother the RED headed police
man for the next hour Then he con
suited with his superiors, and as a re
suit two detectives were sent to inter
view the count. They didn't succeed
in their purpose. He and the old won
an had skipped out In a hurry an hour
before their arrival People who had
seen them 90 said that they had nc
monkey along with them. In fact, the
animal was discovered on the roof IN
the sunshine and fast asleep, but es
capped capture. 1t was felt certain that
he was the mysterious burglar, and q
watch was set on the premises. He
came not hack, while during the nexi
ten nights there was a burglary every
night TO mix things up again. Then O
boy solved the whole case
Two blocks distant from where the
count had lived an old tomcat had
retired to a stable TO die in peace
In his wa derlngs the monkey had
come acrosc him and, being full OF
sentiment. had sought TO make the fe
lines last hours pleasant ones. he
had continued to rob and plunder as
before, but had deposited everything
beside old Tom and was a mourneI
there when discovered aud shot by the
red headed officer. More that $1,000
worth Of STUFF was found right there
and, leaving the respectable widow en-
tirely out OF II. the of3cer took on a
new and prouder look as he said tc
himself:
1T pays for a policeman to have
thoughts. If l hadn't had 'em this