An Officer and a Thug

by Ambrose Bierce

　　A CHIEF of Police who had seen an Officer beating a Thug was very indignant, and said he must not do so any more on pain of dismissal."Don't be too hard on me," said the Officer, smiling; "I was beating him with a stuffed club.""Nevertheless," persisted the Chief of Police, "it was a liberty that must have been very disagreeable, though it may not have hurt. Please do not repeat it.""But," said the Officer, still smiling, "it was a stuffed Thug."In attempting to express his gratification, the Chief of Police thrust out his right hand with such violence that his skin was ruptured at the arm-pit and a stream of sawdust poured from the wound. He was a stuffed Chief of Police.