The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-10-15
POLICE OF SPAIN
In AndaIusia They Are Seen In
All Their Shabby Glory.
ARSENALS ON MOVING LEGS.
They Will Put a Pistol to Your Head
With the Greatest PoIiteness and
Lock You In a Cell With Infinite
Courtesy-Mines Of Misirformstion.

lie II pollte, Is lne SpdniSH pOuce-
man. There IL live and let live air
about him. lie possesses neither the
easy and kindly dignity Of the police
man Of London nor the turbulence Of
the policeman of New York but he Is
ve.y. very human. And lie has the
blessed gift that no other brand OF
policeman seems to possess of appear
Ing to he more than an ordinary person.
True. he Is armed lie is an arsenal
moving on legs: But something tells
you that he wouldn't really hurt fly.
like him.
And here | must say that he Is not
to be COMPOUNDED with the guarda
civil. The guardia civil is quite am
other person altogether. He is stern
and austere. and he patrols country
districts and lonesome mountainous
places. He was used to put down the
bandclerOs. those adopts In the art of
swift. forceful borrowing. whose pres
ence did so much to heighten the ro-
nance OF old sunny Spain. The guardia
civil killed off these gay financial art
lists. but now. even after his job has
been finished. lie still wears cold,
austere air. He is indeed not to he
COMPOUNDED with my friend the police
man.
The first time met the Spanish po-
liceman was one night in Il certain
town in Andalusil. Truth compels me
to state that ! met him In II profess
sional way. was indulging with
others in II row when he appearcd-in
force. | was gathered in by five of
him. But how polite he was. He put
his pistol to my bead, or, rather the
five of them put their pistols 10 my
head. and made me feel that | would
be doing him the greatest of favors by
coming with him to the police station.
The whole affair was courtliness IT.
self. To lie arrested in such II manner
was to have II privilege conferred upon
one. Al the police station | was again
treated with politeness and in the end
with Il locked door '-.----
The Span;sh policeman is not too
well paid He sports not an ambas-
sadorial salary. N he gets Is . pc
setas day. He is therefore anne
nable to the friendly and consi,lerate
tip. This. ] must hasten to say. how
ever. makes him none the less a
worthy and effective guardian of law
and order.
He Is shabby of uniform. But that
Is not his fault. II is the fault of II
frugal government. In appearance he
looks something like IN English post
man and an impoverished Spanish
officer But there is artistry about his
sllabbiness. He fits into the picture.
Very often. especially in Andalusa.
he is old and rather intirm. one is
often sorry for him ms he humps along
with his sword trundling behind him.
But he has the wisdom that goes with
age. If he secs u row he looks at it
with his blind eye ana allows it to
simmer down-a very good thing with
rows.
II you ask Spanish policeman II
question he Is politeness itself. But
his answer will lie wrong. He is II
mine of misleading Information. He
doesn't know. Indeed. what he doesn't
the way to get to them and things
generally would iii an encyclopedia.
II you want to know anything You
must not ask Spanish policeman.
Respect him, for he is of the best but
don't ask him questions. ---~-~
la, ,,f,.httipa. In
rieS lance. He is then called II
serene. presumably because he brings
serenity upon troubled waters. He
looks very picturesque on clear. star
lit night and makes one think of the
times of old-the times one reads about
in historical romances. But he is al
ways harmless. always peaceful and
ready for Il friendly gossip. He Is
really n sereno-a serene person. His
lance Is merely there To round off his
artistic and romantic appearance. And
q IT, - sharp lance. know. for
have often felt the edge Of itwhen
the serene c0urteously handed il ia me
for inspection. l:ut II looks artistic
when seen IN the distance on star
lit night.
The policeman of Catalonia Is some
what different from the policeman Of
Andalusiu. lie Is alert. pushful and
interfering. lie Is apt tn want Ia know
who You are and what you are AMI
what Your business may he. Bui Cata-
lonin is not Spain. II Is n place where
the people rush about doing all man.
ner of things. They like work. and.
what Is worse. they like other people
Ia work. And their policemen take
after them.
M. the Catalonian policeman cannot
truly he called n Spanish policeman.
II yon want Ia see the true Spanish
policeman you must 20 down to Anda-
lusia.
And yon will like him. You will feel
for him the friendliest regard. lou
will see him ambling casually along
with stopped shoulders and trundling
sword And should you have 10 make
his acquaintance IN a professional way
You will find that he will deal with
you as an easy AMI kindly father