The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1909-02-06

| speed. Late jewellers Joined the
group, but when they asked The reason
of the chase they were told to watch
the movements of the leaders hands
Been dom that all the way from
Twenty-eighth street." gasped the
early followers, proud in the posses
sion of that much information. Hes
told the cop joke an now the hick
DRY wielder is hittin the trail with
him."
At Forty-eighth street the policeman
met the officer on the adjoining beat
ard hooking him by the arm he whis
pered into his ear as be kept pace
with the fat man. The new policeman
Suifawed loudly, and agaiD the a5gry
crowd looked vainly for the humor
that seemed apparent TO the two
guardians of the peace. The first po
liceman slackened speed, called out a
| friendly Good luck" to tae fat man,
and then returned to his own beat
while his comrade trottcI swiftly in
his place.
The fat man swung east. down Fifty.
third street, and new recruits joined
| the procession at every yard. But
all thirsted yainly for information
Questions put by the newcomers We're
met with the one answer: Don't
know; look at his hands Been twist
ing them round and rounG all the way
! from Twenty-eighth street"
Crossing Third avenue the fat man
halted suddenly. He knolt down upon
the car tracks, and the officer stopped
| beside him, The crowd pressed round
till the swiftly-swung nightsticl swept
them back. The man in evening dress
craWled across the tracks and rakcd
the ground with his fingers
Presently he leapt to his feet ana
yelled out eXcitedly. It's all right
officer" he cried, and once again his
hands started to reyolye round each
other as he dashed towards the water.
Just here third policeman was
| initiated into the mystery that was
| troubling the crowd, and with a merry
laugh he took up a position by the
| side of the fat man The crowd
! cursed collectively. Here was a
mystery that had been explained
three times to bulky policemen, yet
they were kept in ignorance 1t wasn't
fair. They had a right to know why
the man in evening dress was doing
the windmill performance with his
! hands, and why that stunt amused the
policeman. Much of their breath was
exhausted in strange phrases de
nouncing the secrecy of the police, but
they were determined to see the end.
Near Second avenue a man standing
on the sidewalk turned when he heard
the noise of the charging squad and
contemplated the runners. Then he
stepped into the street and crossed
over. The fat man Chuckled He
whispered to the policeman at his
right hand, and the officer dashed
ahead The man in front started to
run, but his pursuor ovcrhaulcd him
in a dozen strides, and they rolled on
the pavement
"Wots the mattcr?" gaspcJ the
captured one. "Wot are yer scrunn
me fOr?'
This gentleman wants his rubber
door-mat," murmured the policeman,
relieving his captive of the parcel he
carried beneath his arm.
"Hully Gee" exclaimed the pris-
oner, rubbing his eyes and staring
round him at the crowd Where djd
yer get the mob, an how did yer know
had it, anyhow
Il had you on a string" explained
the fat man, holding up a black thread
in the light of the street lamp. I'VE
caught five men who have tried to
steal that mat. It's attached to
thousand yards Of strong thread anc
as they generally grab it when the
streets are quiet, the trail is always
clear"