The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1904-12-15
=" Right awayT

"'Yes'
"Mr. Whitney hung up the transmit
ter. walked across the room. lighted a
cigar. turned around to his friend and
said, with laugh, I wish could tell
what was the meaning of the way he
said call right" but l might as we'll
try to decipher an inscription on an
Egyptian monument. SO we will wait
and see.'
Ten minutes later Mr.. Croker was
shown into Mr. Whitney's library. Aft
er the usual handshaking, Mr. Croker
lighted a cigar, dropped into an arm
chair, and, smoking meditatively, gazed
at the mantelpiece. BY that time Mr..
Whitney had become SO nervous from
overwork. lack of sleep and a troubled
mind that he could do nothing but
walk back and forth. Not a word was
said perhaps for five minutes; then
Mr.. Whitney stopped in front OF Mr..
Croker and said: Croker. I've got
something l want to say to you. and
don't know how to begin. Are you
going downtown"
"'Yes,' Mr.. Croker replied. without
taking his eyes from the mantelpiece.
"'How would you like to ride down
with me. and perhaps we can talk 1t
over on the way?
".Aii right Mr. Croker replied, and
that ended the conversation. With a
word to his friend to meet him at his
Office In the Mutual Life building. Mr.
Whitney followed Mr.. Croker into the
waiting carriage, and away they went.
"Three-quarters of an hour later Mr..
Whitney came swinging into his Of
fee loking twenty years younger. He
greeted his friend like hong lost broth
er, threw back the lapels of his coat,
tipped back his hat rs he might have
done in his undergraduate days and
paced the length of the room three or
four times with the gleeful spirit of II
boy. Finally he stopped and said:
That is one of the most extraordi-
Mars men have ever met. You may
have noticed that l was nervous when
l left the house Well, l was. could
not get started on what l wanted to
say even after we got into the car
riage, and it is an actual fact he said,
with laugh, that neither of us said
word until we reached Washington
square Then l turned to him and
said: Croker, am in the most uncom-
Portable position have ever been In
in my life. The people think / nomi-
mated Cleveland, and l suppose he
thinks / may have had something to
do with it. That being SO, have got
Z
going to do it, I know I can't do 1t
unless l can convince t1e country
right away that New Yorh Is in line,
and the only man who can help me out
| Is you. There is no use taxing about
it, we botlr understand ~ situation.
| All I've got to ask you -. will you do
| it," While / was making ny speech
Croker sat there Looking straight
ahead as impressive as 4 gSQken Image
and not giving the slighs1Dt sign Of
| what he was thinking or what he In.
| tended to say, and he didn't breathe
| word for full minute. Then he
| took his cigar out Of his mouth and
! turned aroun to me and, In the most
| matter of fact voice imaginable, said
MIR. Whitney, have been waiting fol-
| fifteen years to find you in a hole. You
needn't worry about this. I guess II
will be all right" Weli,' Mr.. Whitney
continued after a momentary pause, 4
suppose l thanked him. don't know
| Anyhow. that is all that was said. an
maybe l don't feel better. Now, lets
go and get something to eat
"The next mornings newspapers
contained positive assurances Of Tam
many Halls determination to support
the national ticket with all It's might
and main, and within twontyfoul
hours thereafter 1t wGs Afinitefy
known throughout the cOantry thai
Mr. Murphy had joined hands unre
servedly with his friend Croker IN nj
effort to carry the state Of New York
The effect of this announcement upOr
the workers of the party Throughout
the country was electrlfying. 1t wa'
the beginning of the end Of Republican
rule for at least four years.