An alien hand ch 4 summary
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Soapy was a young man. He had left his home and parents. He became a vagabond. He spent his days alone in Madison Square. It was all right in summer. He made his bed warm with three newspapers. There were quite a few others like him living there.
What would happen during the winter? He started feeling uneasy. The winter was coming. He felt cold on the park-bench. He realised the need to find some cozy place. But he did not think of going to warmer regions outside the country. Just three months in the prison on Blackwell's Island was what he wanted. There he was sure of getting food and a bed every night. He would be safe from cold wind and also from fear of the police. He had been to prison for a number of times during winter.
He decided to go to prison somehow. If he goes to any other place, he would have to pay for the room and meals. He might be asked to wash their clothes and answer all of personal questions. Prison was better than all other options. He would be his own master there.
Soapy thought of easy ways to reach the prison. If he goes to eat at restaurant and then tell them he had no money they wouid call a cop who would arrest him. Next morning the judge would send him to jail. His face was clean and his coat was good enough. But as soon as he put his foot inside the restaurant, the waiters blocked his entry.
He next went to a shop with a glass window. He threw a big stone through the glass. A cop arrived. But the cop did not consider soapy to have done because he had not tried to run out. The cop saw another man running, and went after him. Soapy was shocked at heart for failing two times.
Next he went to another restaurant and sat down at a table was soon eating a big dinner. When he had finished he said that he had no money. Soon he was thrown on the street outside by the waiters. His dream of being taken to prison failed again. No cop was going to arrest him.
Then he began to shout as if he had drunk too much. He danced and cried out. The cop ignored him, taking him for some noisy college boy.
Then he stole a man's umbrella, kept beside a shop door. The owner followed him. But he let Soapy go because he himself was carrying a stolen umbrella
Soapy, at last, came to a quiet street. He stopped at his old childhood home. There was a sudden change in his soul. He felt sorry for wasting his life in such a way. He decided to pull himself out of the mud, and get a job. Soon there came a cop who arrested him for hanging around there. Next morning the judge sent Soapy to prison on Blackwell's Island for three months.