The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-04-10
FRIDAY, April 10. 1908. = ----- -
By CHARLES NJ SHELDON
n, Ss,ns . .,Q.Aat lfardt's Sssen d
oOvrAas, naa ~ oA~.. n nAdo-


TN laying out your measurements
Randall, you have not made any al
bwance for space between front and
rear of lot"
NO" said Randall coolly. 1--WE don't
want to waste any ground. It's too
valua ble"
But how about the city ordinance
which provides for space Of twenty
sve feet between front and rear
houses? l understand your proposed
double decker will be four stories in
height The law distinctly says
''The law be-
~ Tommy Randall did not say
what the law might be on account of
ladies being present, but his abrupt
Silence was no less expressive. He
himself broke it with coarse laugh.
young man, you must be very young
not to know that Tommy Randall is a
law for himself In Ward Is. If he
wants to put up tenement on the
whole lot, he does it, and the law amt
going to make any difference"
1Ou IAlOcIdUlt .
wrath flowed over, and he took step
toward the boss. Miss Andrews placed
her fingers on his arm as gently and
As momentarily as he had placed his
Oh hers, and he stopped as if bar
Of steel had been flung up in front of
him. Luella, watching everything with
obseryant eyes, saw it all. So did Ar
chic Penrose. and his face expressed a
sneering sort of pleasure. Tommy
Randall held his ground and began to
roll up his blue print
"Well, l must get along back to my
work" he said as he gave the whole
company a comprehensive look Of tri-
umph. "If you want to buy any lots.
why, you know where to come. un-
derstand you've got a little money to
invest"
"Look hereP' Gordon stopped him.
You say you don't care for the law,
but l give you warning that l will
bring to bear every process known in
This city to prevent your. violation Of
these building ordinances
Go ahead, young man." said Tommy
good naturedly. 81 wish you success"
eff there is any such thing as justice
left in an American city, will have 1t
served on you. l will set the whole
machinery Of the law in motion against
you"
ooh, you make me tired, young fellow.
What is the law to me? Do you own
the courts?'
"No; do you?"
"Some Of 'em." The answer came
with absolute effrontery.
"How about Justice Chambers"
Mrs. Penrose asked the question in a
sweet voice that startled everybody.
Justice Chambers? I-I-don't re-
eall-ah, yes. the new justice in Dis
trict g." There was a note of uneasi-
ness in Tommy's voice that Gordon
was quick to detect
'Mr. Chambers Is cousin of mine
. very brilliant, rising young lawyer"
Mrs. Penrose again spoke in her sweet,
cultured voice, and again every one. In
Guiding the boss, stared at her.
"It makes no difference" The voice
Of Tommy Randall rose again rough
and assertive. claw or no law, know
what am doing. Good day, Miss An
drews. Sorry you don't see fit to take
the lots. 1 admire your grit" And he
undoubtedly did
He turned and walked back to the
workmen engaged in making measure
ments. and John Gordon turned to Miss
Andrews, exclaiming bitterly: IF this
had occurred In fiction, wouldn't we
have laughed at it as wildly fmproba-
BILE? Yet here it occurs in one Of the
greatest cities on the American con-
Hnent, and we are obliged to accept it
as a part of our municipal system of
government. Before God, Miss An
drews, can we do less than VOW war
on all that such creature represents?
Bear me Witness" he exclaimed, and
he was one of the last men in the world
TO resort to dramatic poses or heroics.
81 will exhaust every resource known
to man in an attempt to have Tommy
Randall obey the laws Of this city. lie
may have robbed US of our proposed
plan for parks and Fairgrounds. bu,
he shall rot murder little c;...dren and
helpless women in these bells of double
deckers.'
They all walked silently back to
Hope House and went into the library.
II don't think any one knows the full
extent of Tommy Randall's power"
Miss Andrews said quietly. Il
thought once. few years ago. that
knew. but I don't Nobody does. not
even himself"
"Of course you have tried to have
these building ordinances obeyed?'
Gordon spoke it looking at her in great
trouble.
Miss Andrews smiled her patient
smile that told the story of countless
battles, of countless defeats, of heart
sick failure to arouse civic con-
science, Of corrupt courts and packed
1uries, and the whole city lying in a
contemptuous apathy that owned no
god but Mammon and felt no indigna-