The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-24

another he did not forget, and woe to
| the henchman who failed to carry out
the behests of his leader in the matter
of job He has a pleasant faculty.
too, of dropping into the free ice de-
pots and ascertaining whether his peo-
pie are getting what he has ordered.
| without question or cavil.
In time, Devery reached his desk and
gathered up his mail Most of it was
turned over to those whose duty it is
| to investigate claims and dispense
| charities.
A characteristic letter opened up
with the announcement that the writer
thereof had learned through the press
| of Devery's kindness to the poor, and
would he please lsok into the case of a
| poor woman at street? After
detailed description of her tribulations,
the writer wound up something like
this:
Hoping you will do what you an
| for her. and God will give you the
credit that man cannot give. Hoping
| you will have success and that YOU
will win, and don't stop until you get
to the top, for you're deserving of it,
hoping you will not give this woman's
| name to the public, | remain, etc.
And the inspector detailed on the
case marched forth with a little
hope" like this on his lips: Here's
| hopin' there'll be vote or two in the
house if not in the family"
Those who know the ropes file their
petitions with any clerk who happens
| to be in the Office, for after all, work
| of this sort must be done by routine.
The uninitiated insist upon remaining
until Devery arrives For each of these
! he has a brief but comforting word
and they are convinced that back of
the word is the will for the deed.
There approached a young man.
leading huge st. Bernard dog. The
| latter wore a blanket bearing this
| legend: Our choice for Leader, W. S.
| DeVery." ANY one unacquainted with
| Devery's methods would naturally ex-
pect to see the leader offer a cigar or
| perhaps a dollar or so for treats. But
he simply patted the dogs head
thoughtfully, then turned to it's own
| err:
You've got a great dog there,
Sport. Never saw his match in the
Ninth. Going to have him in the pa
rade tonight? That's right. Help the
/ good work along. Good day"
They shook hands, and the young
fellow went back to the stables where
he is employed, his face radiant, his
| big dog strutting proudly ahead, as If
| realizing that he had been comph-
mented by the DE Chief" Nor does
the chap begrudge the price of the
gaudy blanket, for Devery in a few
/ hearty words and by a magnetic hand
pressure has given him the idea that
the outcome of this campaign may de-
pend to a certain extent upon the
vote-getting properties of himself and
his pup. That is another of Dew
ery's little ways.
This is another mistake made by I'M
| thinking enemies who crow over the
fact that the Big Chief talks too
much" They forget that his hand is
ever in his pocket. If he lives up to
his reputation of spokesman, they for
| get that he also divides his spols with
a free hand among those who, he sin
cerely believes-and perhaps not with
| out reason-are hopelessly untitled to
work out the financial problem for
themselves. If he has a pull that
! is questionable as viewed from a
strictly elevated municipal standpoint,
| he gives his people the full benefit of
his pull" if he thinks it is we'll for
them to share it.
Here is an incident in point
few nights ago he was holding a
conference of special moment in the
| Four Corners Club room. Men with
anxious faces were gathered about
him. Suddenly there came a tircid
| rap and the door opened to 'eveal a
| wide-eyed, white faced woman. The
|
to shut it.
Il want to see Mr.. Devery," she be-
| gan The sentinel scowled. "Come to
| my headquarters tomorrow Mr. Dew
cry is busy"
Tomorrow will be too late she
sobbed. The Big Chief raped on the
ia BILE. Let her come in. Well, what's
wrolg?"
MY baby is dying at Bellevue. It's
past visitin' hour. They won't let me
inland l must see him again Won't
| you-"
Hcvery raped at the portable tele-
phone. When he got through talking
to the superintendent at Bellevue. he
sail tersely to one of his men:
GEE a cab and move quick. Tell
the driver to take her there as fast as
he cam
lie was right. There was not min
ute to spare. She reached the hospital
| just before the little eyes closed
| Others might have sent her money for
useless flowers. but the Big Chief could
| and did give her what she hungered
for most and had pleaded elsewhere
for in vain, the last moment with her
baby.
The justice of Devery's pull with a
municipal institution might be ques-
| toned, his sympathy with that SUI
fering mother never. And among the
West Side women sympathy outweisns
municipal discipline every time. That
mother does not have to go out and
| electioneer for Devery Her story has
passed from one end of the district TO
the other,an the woman all say: Now
amt that just like the Big Chief2"
1t was instructive to watch Devery
on the day of his big excursion. He
stood by the gang plank for an hour
and a half while the fifteen thousand
or more of his guests went on board
! He helped many, perhaps half the
women up the plank. A mere touch
| of the finger tips or a word of eau
ton to the gaping boy at his mothers
side. or a kindly word to granny
, walking behing her and that mother
| of three stalwart sons (voters, every
one of them) was Deveryite through
and through Now men may with
/ stand oratory, parades and even the
| purchase price OF their vote when
times are dull but they VIII not stand
out against domestic nagging three
! hundred and sixty-hve days in the
year. The Democrat voter who does
not vote for Deyery at the primaries
IN THE Ninth" this year, VIII have
/ 70 explain" matters to his wife
/ Moreover the explanation will have 10
| hold water and II Is more art 20 look
I like a sieve 10 the woman who has
come out for Devery. A woman may
| not vote, she may not eiectioner
even. but she can turn a West Side
/ fat house into a Tower Of Babel for
I the man who fails 70 see Devery
1 through her glasses.