The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-08-29

In the glare OF the 0ilCfduC0 10 a IaSn-
ionable apartment house. He climbed
to the top step to regale himself with
the suggestion of warmth and cheer
radiating through the wonderful tiled
hall within. His numbed fingers FUN
bled hopelessly with the brass door
knobs. Then heavy hand smote his
shoulder and he was whirled violently
around.
"Hey, you, what's this?" growled
the patrolman in his ear. The young
fellow squirmed under the powerful
grip.
Il want to warm-I'm hungry-he
hit me first" he chatted brokenly,
caressing the back of his head with the
old gesture.
This is no free lunch counter"
| laughed his captor; I'll show you
where you will be accommodated
though" and he dragged the unresist-
ing intruder to the corner. See them
lights down the street," And receiving
a reply in the affirmative, he pushed
the lad toward them. "Just tell the
proprietor I sent you-he'll fix you up"
and with a roar of laughter at the joke
of sending hobo to the city prison
he resumed his beat.
On reaching the prison the boy stood
a moment irresolute in the hall to
which he had climbed from the street;
| then, detecting voices on the right, he
swung open the door that led in that
direction. No one turned to greet
him as he shuffled in. A fat, bald
sergeant leaned over his desk toward
two young reporters, his face wreath
ed in a grin anticipatory of the point
of story one was telling. Two uni
formed men mumbled together over
a friendly heater, and the night turn
key argued shrilly into the ears of a
bored-looking plain-clothes man. The
shivering lad crept nearer.
''"That's just it," the sergeant ex-
! ploded, falling back into his chair with
a roar of laughter at the climax; "the
bigger the crime, the easier getting
out of it." Wiping the jolly tears out
of his eyes with an immense blue hand
kerchief, he at last took note of the
intruder. "Well?" he queried crisply.
He didn't do so much to me-I'm
hungry too," with foolish look around
at the unfriendly faces as he again
rubbed the tender spot; Il wouldn't
have done him any harm-I didn't even
know he was coming"
"Uh-huh?" grunted the officer in
professional unconcern..
1--WE just been run to death to-
night" with blank face that caught
|. everybody's attention as he clung
weakly to the desk-rail.
We'll give you one more rum" the
sergeant jibed for the benefit of the re
porters. Everett to the turnkey
who had risen, 'look here" The boy
kept up a foolish muttering. What
the dickens are you gibbering about?'
He gave them the impression of hav
ing been in a. street fight. The ap
preaching turnkey was the first to note
. the cause of his distress.
mo wonder he's gibbering!" he
, calculated. Some ones clouted him
| clouted him good and proper - lool
here" whirling him about for inspec
; ton There was a bunch of clotteG
blood and tangled hair just over his
) ear.
Wonder how the other fellow
looks?" laughed one of the reporters
: Take him to your room, Everett
and fix him up" ordered the sergeant
} Maybe you won't have to call Doc;
looks as if bite of bread would be the
best medicine for him. AS l was say
) ing" to his waiting auditors, as the
5 other two turned away.
) A bathing of the wound revealed {
f slight confusion, no greater than those
) the experienced officer dealt will
, every night The truth of his super
iors guess became evident in the ter
rible relish manifested for the DIR!
bread and hot coffee placed before the
: young fellow. The turnkey watched
until a generous supply had been pu
Y away, and then permitted him tt
f stretch out on bench in warm cor
: ner. Almost before he had quilted thu
l room to join his friendly companions
2 the fellow was asleep.
Scarcely had the door to the eel
> corridor Changed behind him than thu
! outer door burst open and the Office
; who had directed his charge to TIT
prison plunged in. There was a Wilt
look in his eyes as he clattered owe
i the floor to the desk, against whicl
the sergeant was leaning asleep. H
caught his breath as the other rubbed
his eyes to wake himself.
! 'Serg," he gasped, did young fel
: low come in here about an hour ago
=" He could go no further for a me
ment, merely rolling his eyes il
: frenzy. The sergeant stretched ant
yawned.
! "You mean the kid who had been il
. a fght?" The officer described hin
+ with tolerable accuracy. ooh, We
. Everett's got him alright" The pa
trolman grunted out a sigh of vas
a relief. Then he nodded his head mys
o teriously to the others to get closer
"Doggone lucky for me-" he breath
ed fervently Then his voice sank t
a dramatic whisper. That kids bad
ly wanted, serg; just after l let hir
go they found Auditor Stanford dea,
up in his room in the Lorrilard." TIL
h other two made no attempt to concea