The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1918-08-23
A Suspicious
Character
By WILLIAM HAMILTON OSBORNE
OF The Fi9ifontes

NnV othSt uuy III Tue city WneTe
I'VE there was a patriotic parade. II
was announced that every patriot was
expected to uncover when the Stars
and Stripes swept by. During the
parade everybody did 1t.
Standing on the curbstone was an
unkempt individual, with straggly hair,
and wild, desperate eye, who kept
looking about him uneasily, when the
crowd pressed against him he hitched
himself away. but he must have seen
The hats come off as the colors swept
down the thoroughfare.. When the flag
was only half block away, this man
lifted his hand but instead of remov-
ing his hat he drew 1t farther down
upon his head. His action was no.
ticed
Uncover" yelled somebody in the
crowd. The crowd, like lot Of chill
dren, forgot all about the flag passing,
and turned its attention to the man
who hadn't taken off his hat.
"Where Is he-where is he?" people
asked.
Uncover there-uncover," cried
stentorian voices.
The man turned about and his hand
strayed to his hat again. 1t seemed
N though he was about to remove 1t.
But three men pressed close to him
Overwhelmingly.
''You take your hat off, do you
near !" they shouted at him.
Ho drpu auuoy frrr,, than n y,I v,,,11o1
It more firmly down upon his head.
s'Take that hat off--or I'll knock it
off" cried one of the three men.
The wild-eyed man shook his head
and kept drawing away.
Uncover" cried the crowd, surging
against the four principals, make him
uncover there"
Stacker" yelled somebody.
Traitor" cried somebody else.
The three men seized the offender
and laid violent hands upon his hat.
The man chung to it desperately,
throwing all his strength into his
grasp Then police officer forced
his way through the crowd.
"Officer," said one of the three men,
stake this man in charge. Wen come
with you. Wen make complaint"
The officer seized the man by the
arm.
Il will go-wlth you" gasped the
man, "but not with them--not with
them"
The three men followed the officer.
The crowd trailed on behind, until
they reached the nearest precinct sta
ton.
The culprit was led before the mag
istrate. AS the man entered the court
room, he took Off his hat and bowed.
The police officer stated his case-the
three men made their complaint.
WELL demanded the judge fiercely,
sis this true?"
The offender bowed. "What they say
Is true" he admitted.
'Well," demanded the magistrate,
hnpatiently what have you got to
say for yourself?"
The man bowed. Judge" he be-
gan. 81 live all alone--and l am afraid
of burglars"
Iue tTONu InuL nHu traIIeu IN
laughed. The judge looked sternly at
the man.
Afraid of burglars" sneered the
magistrate. as that the reason you
didn't take your hat off to the fiag?"
mo" the man returned, "but / am
afraid of pickpockets."
whats that got to do with it?"
demanded the court.
This" returned the man, Eat my
room hide away my securities. But
am afraid If leave them there they
will be stolen, so l put them in my
pocket"
"What's that got to do with it?'
snapped the magistrate.
when | saw the crowd" went on
the wild-eyed man, II was afraid my
pocket would be picked. SO / stepped
into corner and took all my secur-
fties and put them in my hat. And
then these three men-these three, who
'ook SO much like pickpockets, they
wded close to me. And l took them
pickpockets. And, though | saw
coming, / knew what would
| removed my hat. l knew
'uen would snatch 1t from
al | have
eyed the wild-eyed