Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-01-08

1t was during Reds fifteenth tene-
ment house summer that jim Slattery
first appeared in Butterick place-Jim.
who was the sensation of the hour;
Jim, the hero of many prize1ghts,
whose picture in a combativc attitude
had adorned the pages of The Gazette.
All Ryan street was sad and depressed
at the thought of what an acquisition
Jim was to its rival.
Jim's acquaintance with Barney had
begun at some ringside. His was
flasher type than Barney's. Els rec
ord was in The Gazette Barney i'd
mired him Intensely. 1t was the height
of his ambition to initiate him. Jim
was installed as sort Of privy coun-
ell to Butterlck place. He was recog-
nized by all of the gang as the kings
confidential adviser
But, as often happens with royal fn-
vOrites, there came time when the
king wearied of shadow behind Ills
throne.
WHO is lie leader OF dis gang any
way!" said Barney, with an angry
Slhll w tAC AWAKENING SaAlS
"Ef dis ting keeps on, Butterick
place will have a Jim fer leader In
stead of a Barney"
First there was GOODNESS, followed
by calm, in the rear of the saloon,
then few nights later fight to fin
ish between Barney and Jim. They
had decided to settle it in that way.
The mill took place in the basement Of
Il tenement house. 1t lasted for nine
rounds, when Barney. battered and
bleeding, succeeded in getting in blow
on Jims neck that felled him. When
he finally crawled to his feet, defeated,
but defiant, he walked over to the cor
ner where his antagonist was receiving
congratulations.
you've licked me. Barney Muller"
lie said. II leave de Bend tomorrow,
but you'll be sorry when I'm gone"
When Barney came home from his
work on the docks the following even
ing, he realized the awful meaning Of
the yelled threat. Maggie wasn't there
to meet him. Instead was sealed en-
velope addressed to him in a crude,
cramped hand. Inside was certificate
signed by Alderman Bernstein. 1t said
that the alderman had on that day
married Margaret Muller to James Stat
terry. Accompanying the certificate was
u note:
You was 20 bury quarrelin with Jim that you
couldn't that and him was in love.
We've been engaged three month";, almost ever
since you introduced You drove him away
from de Bend. 90 with him as his wife. I'm
sorry fer you, Barney, but it's your own fault.
Goodby. NAoslE.
Barney's face was white and wild
when he showed the marriage certif.
cate to de gang" that night in the rear
Of Duffy's saloon.
Don't none of you ever speak hel
name to me againw he cried, with o
savage oath. "She's gone. She cant
be Barney Muller's sister eff she is jim
slattery's wife," He stalked out the
side door. The boldest of the ganf
never dared to mention the name OF
whisper.
Only vague rumors of Maggie's new
life f1oated back to Butterick place dur
ing the year following. Jim had be
come a bookmaker's clerk. He Travelled
from one race track to another. II,
was said to be making money. Hi
wife, according to report, was Away
with him. She was said to be baskini
III the sunshine Of Jim's good luck ant
living on de sunny side of Eas.
street"
One Sunday afternoon late in the fail
of that year, just after the Thanksgiv
ing snow had begun to swirl arount
the doorsteps and fill up the saghole
In the pavement OF Ryan street, TIL
Salvation Army paraded through tina
thoroughfare.
Ryan street was so short and crooke,
and insignificant that even the arm,
had overlooked 1t until now. For tina
reason the show possessed for the III
habitants charm of novelty that
would have had in very few othc
places.
i Red and the gang all turned out il
force to hear "de drum"
de drum" and the noise We're by In
! the two most interesting entries on til
; programme, but even above their di
there was waited to Red messag
that de captain" read out of u muc
worn Testament.
But l say unto you forgive you
enemies
}. The idea of forgiving anybody wa
very strange to Red McGann. but til
idea of forgiving an enemy was pos
lively humorous.
n Listen to de cranK!" ne SAID TO on
a of his followers, who laughed heartily
But the man said it over again sew
y eral times. He wound kind of ser
: mon around the words, and as Re
4 walked away that night to the Musi
n hall where he was to take tickets 70
:, the sacred concert" something seer
= ed to keep ringing in his ears-somt
: thing that seemed to be accentuated b
:, a drum and a tambourine, But sa
y unto you forgive your enemies.'
= 1t was holiday week and one Of til
= coolest nights of the year. 1t had bee
;, showing all day, and great drifts wer
. piled across Ryan street. At 2 o'cloc
in the morning Red was wadin
= through them up TO his waist on hi
= way home Home at that time col
;, sisted Of corner Of saloon tw
blocks away, where Red made the fiji
in the base burner every morning an
by way of remuneration was Above
sleeping room.
"Dis is fierce night" said Red I
:, himself as he looked Mt the deserte
!. street. at must be pretty bad whe
: everybody stays inside OH Rya
:, street.
= No living thing anywhere nothin
= but the black sky, the cutting, swirlin
SHOW and teneinent house walls.
AS he passed doorstep where til
9 snow had not drifted SO high as o
d some OF the other houses on the bloc
8 lie head some one call lis name.
b "Red. say, Rcd Mccain"
| cd Al.