The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-11-10

MUlv|A|LL, THE COP
0y CLARENCE L. CULLEN.
(Copyright.)

rying him across the street, complete
ly disregarding the clutter Of automo-
biles and trucks lined w expectantly
on both sides, the traffic cop. before
giving the arm wave to the waiting
ones to come ahead, studied his hands
a. II he had never seen them before.
II don't get it whether I'm a nut
or not" he said to me when I, slid
alongside Of him on the little island
Of safety" But every time I git the
feel of q young 'un's paw in my mitt
l feel like jumpin' post and racin'
back to the dump where there's
snipe belongin' to me that I'm bugs to
git acquainted with, II ever I git the
chanel"
"Meaning?" said I.
Mulvihill was q handsome, trig
young cop, with a good army record
behind him.
"Meanin'," replied Mulvihill, the cop.
that there's a imitation O. me up
at the fiat that I'm goin' to git buidies
with and cultivate one O. these nights
when I'm not down for reserve jooty
and can make hull night in with the
frow and-his nibs."
Meaning again." said I, "a little
neighbor Of yours with the same mon
mixer and the same way of looking
things over out Of his eyes?"
"A medal for you for the dome
work, bo," said the cop. Eyes. Just
/ like that. But it doesn't stop at the
eyes. The snooper is there with the
same beak, the same cash in the lower
part Of the map, the same hemp on top
Of the bean-all of the stun that I'm
four-aushin' around with. Queer gag,
amt it? How dye figger 1t out?"
II DON'T" replied. choosing safe
end Of 1t. "But would you know the
piece Of small change, Mulvihill, II
you we're to meet him on the street,"
The cop grinned sheepishly.
"Quitcha kiddin'," he said depre.
catingly. Are you hep to that break
made before they made me trafnc
peg, or what are youse tryin' to ease
into me?"
Never guilty, but give me q scena-
rio of the SKETCH" said.
All right" the tramc cop replied
with a grin. "I'll dish 1t over to
youse. But nix on the haw-haw stuff
when I finish. l got enough O. that
noise already.
1T was when I was on the One
Hundred and Twenty Fifth Street
trudge," said the cop. There was
on'y two blocks to that beat, but II
you're talkin in the old world to-
But I'll tin that ramblin' thing. Lem
me git down to the giggle number"
"Yes," I advised. II need q happy
ending, and quick"
THAT beat" picked up Mulvihill,
covered two blocks of the liveliest
business that Say, you're hep to
1t that I stood up and had the bell.
book. and candle thing pulled or me
about this time last year, amt your
Meaning that you were married.
I helped him along. Eyes. l knew
that"
"Oh. you knew It. hey?" said the
cop. We'll that'll help a little. but
not much. You knew. too, then, that
I was humpin' that Northumberland.
Twenty-Fifth-Street beat until las
month";
Having stopped to talk there with
you every night. yes" replied. And
the answer is-what?"
"Nothin'. just yet" replied the cop
I'll ease 1t to you in a minnit, and
then you'll roll around on the pave.
ment and dish me up more Of that boot
stun than I'll be able to stand. The
start Is, then, that this 12-pound bogus
Of me hoped along about three
months ago. All O. the wimmin folks
said he was a ringer for me. It lis
tened pretty good. but I couldn't see
It.
This guy had no more hair than
a new cucumber, and he was that red
that II I caught myself blushin' that
away Id hep up right away that apo
plexy was givin' me run for the
wad, and get fixed out for a quick
cash-in. They told me 1t was all right
for a new one to look red like that;
but couldn't get used to 1t.
Back, now, to that post In thu
business district Of One Hundred and
Twenty-fifth street where, until they
switched me down here, I pounded
the flags every day and did the best
could to keep anybody from snitchin
on me.
There's big department store OF
that beat where, when the wimmil
with babies kite along, they can checl
the kids and leave 'em in charge o
trained nurses while they pick up thei
skirts to do stampede on the bargain
counters.
That baby-checking department 4
where got in so Dutch that ever,
time l look at myself in the glass
want to put on pair of cheaters q
that ! won't know myself.
Il was passin' by that department
store one night about six weeks age
dom the Anal brick pound befor
ringin' meself into the station, whe
; the Waterman Of the plant, a gink
, knew, steps out Of the main entranc