Evening star., 1902-08-09

'sfat baby" had wandered to the long ave-
nue. sEirting the river front. 1t was too hot
to lay too hot to sleep. for plump babies at
least 1t seemed too hot to do anything eX-
cept feel vaguely miserable. At the corner
Johnnie stopped. Just across the avenue
the river breezes were skirting the piers
But the street was busy one, and even If
he succeeded IN reaching the other side the
crowding trucks and heavy wagons left no
place for a small and very hot baby. So
Johnnie stood at the corner and wistfully
watched the scurrying boats
Harry Wendell. young lawyer who was
rapidly becoming prominent in local poll
ties. was hurrying to the meeting of the
City Reform Club. He did not notice the
perspiring toddler, and almost ran into him.
The fat baby made frantic effort to dodge,
cOllided with another pedestrian and fell to
the sidewalk. 1t was not a hard fall, but
the fat babys ordinary optimism had been
undermined by the weather. Instead OF
scrambIing to his feet he lay on the pave
ment and sObbed in helpless misery.
Harry Wendell picked up the small suf-
been wearing. AS the babes feelings
changed from sorrow to wonder and then
to delight his sobs grew fainter.
Sure, and these hot days are hard on
the babies, with never a breeze stirring eX-
cept along the river. and the trucks and
wagons keeping them away from there"
Harry Wendell looked around and saw
Tom McMannis. the ward leader. and one
of the strongest supporters of Richard Dor
sey. the boss whom the City Reform Club
was working hard to overthrow.
It's a pity they can't get a recreation
pier for this district observed Harry, look
ing at the river front, which had been the
coveted Canaan of the fat baby. 1T would
be a wonderful comfort for the children, as
well as for older people,
1T would that" assented McMannis. 81
telling Dorsey the only
day. But he didn't seem TO look at it that
way
And McManus. after giving the now
Cheered fat baby some pennies. and telling
him TO run and get a bit of candy" stroll
ed into the saloon which was his political
headquarters. while Wendell FASTENED up
the street. He was already late for the
meeting Of the Reform Club, where he
hoped a definite plan of action would be
taken In the campaign against the rule of
Boss Dorsey.
on his way to the meeting Harry Wen
dells thoughts reverted TO the ward leader
from whom he had just parted. MCMannis
was uneducated. unprincipled in both pub
lie and personal life, machine politician
Of the worst type-and not a bit ashamed
of the fact. Yet MCMannis was the absO-
lutte ruler Of the crowded tenth ward. and
had a following who not only voted as he
directed. but were personally warmly at
taChed to him.
Somehow he seems to get in touch with
his people in way that We can't, even
when We are anxious to do them good"
thought the young lawyer.
At the Reform Club several spirited ad-
tresses were delivered, in which the po-
itical corruption in the city. the squander-
hg of public money, the bribery and in
t1mldatlon rampant at primaries and polls
were ytVidly detailed. Every speech closed
with a eulOgy on American manhood, and
an earnest exhOrtation to the members of
the club to do all in their power to bring
about a better state of affairs. Each ad
dress was warmly applauded. But today
they did not appeal strongly to Harry
Wendell Somehow 1t seemed to him that
there was little practical in what had been
said.
However corrupt local politics might be,
the fact must be faced that the organiza-
tion. led by Dorsey, was strong. well dis
clplined. and could put up a hard fight
And. while il would be for their own good
the big foreign element. and the poorer
classes generally, did not care for reform
Again and again the City Reform Club had
led campaigns against the machine and
each time either had been defeated at the
polls, or, after what seemed victory, found
that Dorsey had again worked his way
back into power, aided by the Indifference
of the good citizens who had voted for re-
form. But If a break could be made in the
machine ranks, II McManus whose sway
In his own ward was undisputed, could be
arrayed against the boss then, indeed
something might be effected. And as he
pOndered the matter Harry Wendell saw
through glass darkly plan whereby a
OAcdh HlISII POSSIBLY De maze IN the COM
pact forces Of the machine
1t playing machine politics on nv own
account" he soliloquized, but McMannis
is good deal better man at heart than
Dorsey, and a recreation pier would be a
good thing for the babies in those big
tenth ward tenements. however it is OBJ
tained.
The next day while Tom McMannfs.
seated in little room back Of his bar, was
talking over the details of the coming cam
paign with few of his favored henchmen,
bartender entered, and, in the confidential
Whisper assumed by all practical politicians
ana follows, announced that Harry Wen
dell would like to speak TO the ward leader
McMannfs nodded to his retainers, who
MED out of the room. When Harry en-
tered, McMannis looked at him with conn
placent hostility. Wendell was opposed to
him in politics. But what could Wendell
or any other refOrmer do in the tenth
ward?
Il was at the meeting of the Citv Re-
form Club yesterday began Harry.
Il heard there was TO be one" muir
INJURED McMannis, but 1 couldn't get the
time to 60"
McMannis and Wendell, while political
opponents, We're personally friendly enough.
Ihe young lawyer laughed.
nave been thinking of what YOU said
yesterday afternoon about a recreation
pier II would be godsend to the babies
this hot weather. Now. can't we combine
on this point, even If We fight each other
on other matterS?'
The leader of the tenth ward Ieaned boot
In his chair, his hands In his pockets and
looked hard at Wendell. For reformers in
general NcMannis had a deep-rooted. dis
ike But the recreation pier for his ard
had been one Of McMannis' heartfelt de-
sires for the last two years. One of the
secrets OF his unbroken rule of the tenth
ward was that, aside from his ability as a
politician, he was at heart friend of .shis
people, as he called them.
What you say Is right" replied McMan-
MS, after moments thought II certainly
do want the pier, and what is more i'm
portant, SO do my people. But 1 didn't ex-
pect help from the City Reform Club"
1t isn't necessarily a political matter
answered Harry; "and perhaps, II bot
crowds combine. We could force the board
OF aldermen to appropriate the money
Whatever you and 1 may think on other
questions. here is one on which we could
pull together.
We could assented McMannIs. "And
mighty glad would l be to see the nier
mere. whether the reformers or the devil
himsef helped me to get 1t. I've been after
Dorsey about 1t, but he says the city needs
the money for something else II makes
me angry TO think" added McNannis
naively. that just because I've got the
tenth ward so that It is safe they insist ali
tne money ought to be spent in other
wards It's coming election time, though.
ana Dorsey won't want to make any enc.