Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-15


bers of the city council are draw
ing nearer. Only a few of them
viii make any effort to be elected
again to the seats they have occupied
for at least two years, many of them
! for much longer time than that. Some
hope to be in the mayors chair before
long. one expects to be railroad COM
| missioner, elected by the Republican
party, and nearly all have other eX
pectations than a seat in the council,
even though the next term will be for
three years.
The year term is provided for by an
amendment to the city charter and is
! for the purpose of so arranging mu-
nicipal elections that they will come
on alternate years from those of state
| elections.
Never in the history of the city has
a more diversified council occupied the
| nine seats, and it is probable that
never again will there be such a study
| of physiognomy and human nature in
a Los Angeles city council.
Ford Is the Owl
Fred Ford, councilman from the
| First ward is the owl of the legisla-
| tive body. Ford has never been
any one council meeting, and yet he
appears to bear the responsibility of
all it's deliberations. When, by an ac-
cident, Ford deigns to crack smile
his face looks rs though something is
missing. Mirth sits as heavily on
his countenance as mention of the re-
call does on his nerves
| When he hears sid" Killers con-
stant chuckle his reproving eye says
mr. nj it1l f1ata T,.1- L.,
unseemly levity?" He adds to his owl
like demeanor by smoking cigars of a
certain brand and FOrds presence in
the city hall is always heralded by
the peculiar aroma of that cigar. He
has not made up his mind whether or
not he will run for a seat in the council
| again. but should he do so the Pubic
Ownership league, which almost had
him recalled, will make a fight against
him.
There is something incongruous
about Percy Harmon representing the
Second ward in the council. Percy
1t were ridiculous to call him Mr."
Hammon-looks like he should be out
in an alley playing marbles with the
other boys.
Is the Council Baby
Percy is plenty old enough to be a
look It. He has a pink and white COM
pleXion that is always associated with
long yellow curls and velveteen Lord
Fontleroy suits. His big blue eyes,
with their innocent baby stare, accen-
tuate the Lord Fontleroy idea and
whenever he catches President Sum-
merand looking his way or he is COM
PEELED to make a plea before the coun-
Gil in the interests of his constituents,
Ihe bushes rosy red
Many a fashionable woman would
give all her husbands wealth to have
Percy's eyes and complexion. But
Percy has earned his complexion and
his innocent air by behaving himself.
While by no means a long hair" he
is as clean in his personal habits as
the most ardent reformer could ask.
He is through with politics. he says
and when his term as councilman eX-
pires will practice law, which he has
been studying assidously for several
years.
In S. w. Hitler the Third ward has
the jolliest councilman in the bunch.
Sid always chuckles. When he sees
a friend half a block off the little
wrinkles begin to form about his eyes
and 100 feet away he has his hand
outstretched for a friendly clasp.
Is the Real ChuckIer
He chuckles all the time. sid" was
never known to laugh outright, but
way down in his throat is a little
spring of merriment that constantly
wells up and oVerfiows at the corners
of his mouth whatever the subject
may be. He always wants to know
how you are feeling. If you tell him
what a hard time of it you have been
having with your rheumatism he
chuckles.
If your third cousin is dead he
chuckles solemnly until you tell him
that third cousin left you a fortune,
then the chuckle takes on a merrier
sound and he invites you to have
drink to celebrate the event. Like
Ford, he has little to say to the council,
but he takes care of his constituents
through the various committees that
really do the business. He wastes no
words. He needs the time for chuck
ling. Hitler expects to represent his
ward in the council for another term.
From the Fourth ward comes Theo-
dore Summerland and his red vest.
Theodore" would be a remarkable
character under any circumstances,
but with that red vest he looms upI
like wart on pretty woman's nose.
Is the Poor One
Theodore" he is highly indignant if
any of his friends address him by his
last name prefixed by Mr., is the
philosopher of the council. 1t is his
pride and boast that he hasn't a cent
to his name but that he has got more
men out of Jail than any other man
in the city. I'D like to make you a
present of a diamond ring" he says to
a friend, apropos of nothing at all. but
| haven't the money. But if you ever
want to get out of Jail. don't forget
old Theodore is your friend" He isl
perfectly serious about it, too. Just as
serious about it as he is about his red
vest.
Whats the use OF money" he says,
except for what it will buy. 1 don't
want anything for myself but I'd like
to have pile to buy candy and truck |
like that for the children. You live
here little while, make a stir with a
red vest or something like that, and
when you're gone your friends forget
both you and the red vest. Have a |
good time while you can, for you're a |
long time dead. Here. little girl, take
this dime and go and buy some candy. |
You look hungry"