Village Policemen
The good old-fashioned village policeman had to be an exceptional man. He was slow and red-faced and perhaps not over-alert, but he maintained law and order in his own way, depending on villagers for support and co-operation and closing an eye to petty offences when he thought fit. The people of a village remember the outstanding characters who kept the peace in days when things were more likely to get out of hand. The other day I heard two old residents discussing a policeman who died some years back. " Ah," said one, " old Jack wouldn't run nobody in, nobody at all. He'd talk to them, knock their blocks off and send them home. He'd tan the lads if he catched them in an orchard, or get the schoolmaster to do it if there was too many of them. He'd sort out a man and his wife if they was rowing. But the new sort, well, they has more in court. That's all you can say." " Well, aye," said his companion. " Old Jack was for keepin' people out of trouble. The new lot's for gettin' them into it." Every- thing was better in the good old days, and as time passes the older generation feels bound to say so.
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