The Cop and the Anthem

Soapy moved restlessly in Madison Square. Birds fly south, people want warm coats, dead leaves fall - winter is near and Soapy must find shelter.

Soapy restlessly shifted on his seat in Madison Square. Birds fly south, people want new coats, leaves fall - signs that winter approaches. Soapy realised he must prepare for the cold.

Soapy wanted three months on Blackwell's Island - daily food, a bed, safety from cold and cops. Rich New Yorkers planned Florida; Soapy planned prison.

Soapy's modest winter hope was three months on Blackwell's Island with food each day and a bed each night, safe from the cold north wind and from cops. For years it had been his winter home while richer people sailed south.

Charity shelters existed but Soapy's proud spirit refused - they would make him wash and answer personal questions. In prison a gentleman's life was still his own.

He could beg food and beds at city shelters, but pride blocked that path. Shelters demanded washing and intrusive questions. Prison had rules, yet there a gentleman's own life remained his own.

Soapy tried a fine restaurant but torn clothes got him thrown out. He broke a shop window with a stone - yet the cop chased another man who ran away.

Soapy planned to dine richly and be arrested for non-payment. At a bright Broadway restaurant broken shoes and torn trousers got him turned out quietly. He smashed a glass window; when the cop came Soapy confessed - but thieves run, so the cop chased a running man instead.

A cheaper restaurant fed him, then waiters threw him out instead of calling a cop. He pretended to be drunk outside a theatre - the cop said it was just a college boy.

In a lesser restaurant no one stopped his torn clothes. After a big dinner he asked for a cop but waiters threw him onto the street. Near theatres he shouted like a drunk; the cop ignored him, saying orders were to let college boys shout.

Soapy stole an umbrella and taunted the owner to call a cop. The man had found the umbrella himself and walked away slowly - Soapy failed again.

Soapy took a man's umbrella from a shop and dared him to call the cop on the corner. The umbrella man admitted he had found it that morning and apologised if it was Soapy's. Both walked away; Soapy felt he would fail again.

At his old childhood home Soapy heard organ music and remembered mothers, flowers and clean hopes. He decided to reform - then a cop arrested him for hanging around. Next morning: three months prison.

Near his old home a soft light and sweet music held him. He saw his fallen life and resolved to work and become a man again. Full of new strength he argued with a cop who asked what he was doing there. The judge next morning gave him three months on Blackwell's Island.