OFF HIS BEAT.

NZ Truth, Issue 80, 29 December 1906, Page 7

OFF HIS BEAT.

. 0 I (In a case at the Tendon SbutbiWesfcern Court* a police-constable "stated that the other side- of: the road 'was 1 off his beat; and, when asked ''If you saw anything wrong on the other eide, -would you not interfere?" he replied, "I don't think so.") As a conscientious copper, Snicks ne'er moved his plates of meat To take part m any bother which was not upon his beat; For the sphere of his activity, he argued, with some heat, Was unquestionably limited to one side of the street, And he didn't care what happened on the " other. . ' Thus 'tis Certain if you chanced m his .locality to Astray, You would have to be mosfc careful, howe'er innocent your lay; If you came across your bookie, Snicks would have a word to say, You could not put sixpence on a horse on his side of the way, ' But you might bring off a murder on the ,' other. | Woe to any saucy urchin who cracked nuts, and threw the shells At the conscientious Snicks, for he would raise the youngster's yt-lls -. , By careering down, upon him with a threat' of prison cells; • . For, while cracking nuts was criminal on one side, gossip tells .... -j That a cove could crack a crib upon the i other. j And the wrong 'uns bf the neighborhood, conversant with the mode In which Snicks so conscientiously upheld stern duty's code, Made remarks uncomplimentary, as on r bis beat he strode; ' And . he glared afc his tormentors from his own side of the road, While they made rude observations, on the other. That's the reason why he listened with & none too friendly air When a larrikin one misty night said, " 'Ere, are you aware' ! That a donah and 'er chap are goin' balmy over there? 'Ear 'mi kissin' 'er!" And truly, as on one side stood the pair, Sundry lip-smacks echoed loudly from the other. "They want movin* on— they're cuddlin' pow," the yob ssid, full of glee; And as Snicks, with penetrative orbs peered through the night mist, he Saw, as m a colored mirror, a fond pair who seemed i» be Very much m love, for from the side he stood on Snides could see Considerable embracing on the other, "Well, it's off my beat," he growled, "and I've no call to interfere." "Oh, well, you know best," the yob said, j "but, you see, it's like this 'ere, I It's your own old -woman spoonin' witn a ' lanky Grenadier!" And as Snicks, on his side of the road, stood solemn and severe, There were sounds of muffled laughter on the other. DOSS CHIDERDOSS. It is ten yeors since Harry Diver laH appeared m Melbourne. His father was Dr. Diver, ono of the most popular and cleverest New Zoaland medicos. Har--y, fer some time, studied medicine inN./J., but tho footlights had a greater attraction for him.