The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-11-26
Number
| Forty
|By PRISCILLA LEONARD.

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Policeman Number Forty stood at
the corner and looked down the
Gwarming street. 1t was one of the
dirtiest streets Of the city, in the dis
trict OF the aliens. The smell of fry
ing polenta and of decayed bananas,
mingled with acrid odors of rags and
junk. hung thick in the air. The
dark-eyed, unwashed children of Italy
played in multitudes on sidewalk and
street as Number Forty gazed one
way. When he turned and looked to
the other side, vista of signs in
Yiddish met his eye. and more street
children, this time Enthusiastically
Israelitish. Number Forty, whose
name was Mat Sheehan, who was but
twenty-one, and who had been on the
force for only week, sighed heavily.
f'Sure, don't know what to be
dom or sayin'. / don't know their
ways or their manners, or even when
a policeman is needed, SEEM can't
tell from their lingo whether they're
quarrelin' or maxim UP. And the
NEXT street is Chinks, and the other
way Poles, and they're worse yet. l
amt one of those that wants to be
ON the force for the graft. TIM after
wishin' to do my duty as well as the
am to lsape up human feelin's, with
one shpalzin' me own tongue, and all
loolzin' at me eyil-like out of the cor
ner of their eye."
Number Forty sighed again; then
he Strengthened his broad young
shoulders, and swung. down the block.
the Italian children getting out Of
mis- way with alacrity. The last man
on the beat had been used to rapping
the boys with his club on occasion;
and besides, an officer OF the unknown
law, in this new, unknown land, was
q person always to be stunned as
far as possible Who knew what he
might do? Not the blackibrowed
Italian mothers. nor the pale sweat
shop workers of the Ghetto. Barriers
Of ignorance and fear, barriers of
language and race, fenced them of
from Number Forty. and Number
Forty from them.
The new policeman had Just reach
ed the middle of the block when
from round the corner came a girl
OF eight, her black eyes fairly pop
ping out of her head with fright. In
deed, her fright was such that it
conquered all lesser fears, and drove
her up to Number Forty's side.
'tSignor Polees, da fire, da fret"
was all she could say. painting, and
grabbing Sheehan by the coat, as If
to pun him along. Number Forty
took her hand instead, and started to
run along back with her, as he
cried:
Where? Where?"
Metropolitan rounda - de
street," gasped the girl. dragging him
along with all her might.
'Tt's that old fire-trap of a Metro
politan-anny one would know thin
tenements would burn up! Sure, wait
now-wait! Will I have to shake
you to make you stop, girl? / must
turn in the alarm first"
A crowd was following close on
che heels Of the two. and swarmed
round Number Forty. as he opened
the box and rang in the alarm.
Poles. Italians. Jews, all surged
ahead. and arrived at the Metropoli.
tan tanements before he got there,
with Maria Giulia Crescenza still
clinging to him. 1t was q fire. sure
enough. The smoke was rolling out
from the basement in volumes, and
On the fire-escapes, up all the seven
Nstories. men. women and children
were pouring out, endeavoring to
carry down their beds, babieo and
household goods.
Number Forty hesitated not one In