The Irish standard., 1896-02-01
eyes in letters and documents. Many OF
the letters were t.corkers"

One was frem the mayor of Chicago
asking him to push a certain matter in
which the people Of Chicago we're inter
ested; another from an Old lady beseech-
ing him to secure an increase OF pen
sion; another from mother, begging
Lawler to secure from the president
pardon for. her boy, who was in prison.
But the bulk of the letters were either OF
a begging nature or, more frequently.
Applicant for political jobs actually
believe'that every other man who voted
for Lalyler expected political position,
and pestered the poor fellow nearly TO
death when they failed to receive the
appointment.
But Lawler was great worker. Mrs.
I4awIer would sit in one corner sewing
away, the baby would be rolling about
the floor and in another corner Frank
would be scribbling and scratching
away. If the baby happened to cry
Frank was up in an instant soothing
the youngster. He punctually answered
every letter, and how he did it is some
thing no one can fathom. His answers
Iwould read something like this: =
''A1r. Pat Smith, Chicago-My Dear Old
Friend.-I am doing my best to secure
the position you seek, but things look
rather dark at present. Don't lose hope,
end Regards to the missus and the
children. Mrs. Lawler sends here re-
CARDS Your faithful friend,
| FRANK LAWLER.
And this same Pat Smith had no more
real claim on Lawler than the rest of the
Iawler supporters in the fifth ward. But
Frank had a kindly, hopeful word for the
man and his family, just the same. Here
was the great secret Of Lawler's hold OH
the affections of his constituents He
would stop a dirty faced little urchin,
pat him kindly on the head, ask after the
health of the lads parents and make him
q present of a bright new penny. CT
course, every "kid" in the second dis
tr:ct knew Lawler, and the incident would
be related at home. AS "a consequence the
old Irish ladies would lean over their gate
and remark:
| :'Arrah, Mrs. So-and-so, but Mr.. Law
| ler's a foine mon, God bles him. Shure,
didn't he shtop me bye Jaanesy today and
ask aftther John and meself, and then
phw'at does he do but give Jamesy a pen
ny. May God give him good luck"
| Here is true story concerning Law
ler's early days in the realm Of politics.
At the time in. question he was the idol
lied alderman OF the famous "bloody
eighth" with great ambitions and poor
prospects of success. About midnight, in
a cold drizzling rain, an old woman rang
Frank door bell Lawl6r threw up the
window and, looking down, saw the old
woman and inquired what was wanted.
"Oiln in dhrouble,' sobbed the old wo
man, "an' I want t'see Alderman Law
ler"
Lawler was down in a jiffy, and beside
the warm fire in the parlor he listened to
the old lady's tale of woe. She owned
COW, which had wandered away, and late
at night she found the bovine in the
pound. The fint-hearted keeper had re-
fused to release the animal except on the
payment of the usual fee. The old lady
hadn't cent in the world, and in her
hour OF distress she hobbled down to
Lawlar. w..
1t was a cold rainy night; there were
few paved streets on the southwest side,
and those 'lnpaved were knee-deep in
mud. The pound was at Ashland avenue
and Polk street; the woman lived on For
quer, near Ialsted, over a mile away.
| But Lawler lonned his big coat and heavy
boots and trudged up to the pound. He
paid the fee and drove the COW to the
! woman's home and gave the woman a
little change to help her along. 1t was
cough nights job, but it was politics.
This episode was passed from tongue to
tongue, with variations and additions,
and it reelected Frank LaWler.
In Washington Lawler had a sterling
reputation as a ready wit, but many
stories told of him were absolute fakes on
their face. After reading witty para
graph in the Washington Post, alleged to
have been uttered by himself. he said:
IF I could be as witty as that l would
resign from congress and start an opposi-
tion paper to Puck and Judge" But there
are two good and true examples of Law
ler's wit which are we'll worthy OF preser-
vat.on. During Cleveland's first admin
| istration, Congressman Ryan, of Kansas,
was twitting Lawler constantly. They
were good personal friends and inyeter-
ate political enemies
Now come, come, LAWYER said Ryan
one day you know as we'll as / do that
your accident, Cleveland was elected
through the influence of the New York
Central Road
! VERY true,' answered Lawler, quick
ly. and taking his, pen he wrote the in
| itials of the Central. "The first two
/ letters" explained Lawler, ''the N. Y.';;
they stand for New York. and New York
stood for Cleveland. The next two, &C.
and H., stood for cleveland and Hen
bricks; they also stood as winners The
| three remaining letters, r., II. R., have
an historical meaning so apparent that
the verest blockhead outside of GER
tain Kansas congressman, would under
stand them at a glance
| Lawler was perfect type of the old
time politician. He was at every christen-
ing, marriage, wake or funeral of whici
he could learn in the second district. He
had Il deep voice, which, when tuned 10
the chord of sympathy, was a scource OF
temporary consolation to many stricken
souls At feast he was the life Of the
party, although he. never. tried to sing
bur once. He went to visit poor Pat
Hainnill over on May street one night,
and Pat, who was at one time good
singer. sang an old-time darky song With
a ringing chorus, in which many Of the
company Joined iLaWler became en-
Unused and Joined in. The chorus wound.
up in a roar of laughter at Frank vocal
efforts, and the joyial M. c. Joined IN
with great good nature.
II AS for charity, Frank LaWler never let
his left hand, get acquainted with the
business Of his right. 81 He was generous
even to prodigaity. Mrs. l4aWlerss55 9 e one c
day said to Frank: 9s.. .s5
t'Ciood heavens! Fran k you'll beggar us
vet: we won't know where to get. meal. &
sssh-h.' whispered Frank drama tlcally,
5ts;f \ on,nae @4tn that We'u get hand -onts9