The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-06-13
T WO ORPHANS

Two things happened to Sheridan in
the same week-that is, two extraor-
binary things. The first one followed
an arrest that he made late one night,
and it upset him entirely at first His
beat included the district near the
new Williamsburg Bridge, and trying
to hide himself in nook under the
monstrous structure he saw a ragged
| little newsboy whom he at once made
his prisoner. Il amt done nothin',
I'm only going to lay down here"
pleaded the child, and maybe, if Sheri-
dan had been on the force long
| enough, he would not have pretended
to notice such thing. But he was
| policeman not from choice, bit neces-
sity, and hoped to be in different
| position some day. He took the little
chap to the station house and was
| laughed at by the sergeant for his
pains.
well, he was sleeping out there like
poor little beast" said Sheridan.
LET him sleep there il he likes, he's
not harming any one," was the reply.
But Sheridan looked very gloomy as
no spoke:
Isn't he harming himself? and isn't
| it ENTHUSIASTICALLY, disturbing to a
| Christians mind to see little human
body like his, out in the night with
only the shelter that the rats have?'
| 20, don't make funeral of your
SELF" said the sergeant. hell keep all
right; he didn't begin tonight Be-
sides, there are lots of places for him
if he would take the trouble of finding
them OUT
But Sheridan said the boy had told
him he had no home, and had only sold
papers the proceeding day. They'll
all tell you some such gag as that"
said the sergeant, who gave the young
culprit a dime and told Sheridan to
put him in an empty cell, where there
was a bed, for the night. Then when
they were. alone again and as the
time for changing patrols had come,
the sergeant asked Sheridan to sit
and light a cigar and he would tell
him a thing or two
Sheridan, me boy" he began, your
not in your proper place. You haven't
the temperament for policeman.
I've marked you. Your heart isn't
wrong for the job, if it is soft. Many
cops heart is warmer and softer
than woman's. 1t is not your head
either Your head is all right. saw
that from those suggestions to the
Deputy Commissioner the other day.
OF course your courage and strength
are no shame to you-nor to the force.
But you are out of your element. You
ought to be a professor or preacher,
for your heart is not set in forcing
order, though force must be employed,
but in just persuading and, yes, sham
ing people into doing the orderly
thing. Well, old man, that only comes
in individual cases, you can't get all
the scamps to go along straight unless
they know you carry club, and might
use it on them"
For a time they smoked in silence,
but Sheridan spoke very quietly when
he said, Sergeant, your guess is half
good, anyway. l have no heart in the
business. Of course I'm very thankful
to Flynn for the position, but will
give it up as soon as | can see my
| way to something else. OF course
again, I'll do my duty, or try to, as
long as I am in uniform, but though il
i will not be a cassock, for never
thought of such a thing, nor myself
worthy if / had. shall wear another
coat as soon as may be-"
Both men had now risen and with
an equal impulse walked to the cell
where they had placed the boy, ex-