Page:The Curious Republic of Gondour, and Other Whimsical Sketches.djvu/121

Rh and O’Flaherty, witnesses. Come forward, Officer O’Flannigan.”

—“He was making a disturbance in Kearny street.”

—“Any witnesses on the other side?”

No response. The white friend raised his eyes—encountered Officer O’Flaherty’s—blushed a little—got up and left the courtroom, avoiding all glances and not taking his own from the floor.

—“Give him five dollars or ten days.”

In my desolation there was a glad surprise in the words; but it passed away when I found that he only meant that I was to be fined five dollars or imprisoned ten days longer in default of it.

There were twelve or fifteen Chinamen in our crowd of prisoners, charged with all manner of little thefts and misdemeanors, and their cases were quickly disposed of, as a general thing. When the charge came from a policeman or other white man, he made his statement and that was the end of it, unless the