The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-02-08

He who knows the seamy side OF
Chicago, as he knows the back OF MS
own hand, had said:
Come down on the South Side with
me at midnight and I'll show you
somethingi" When he speaks with
that air Of mystery, l trust and toi-
low. We tramped over those chicago
board sidewalks, knobby Win nal4s'
which recall the old-time mining
lamps, to a region of two-story
houses, dark, muddy alleys, sman
shops. Only one light burned In the
block at that time of night; 1t came
dimly through the haze from corner
saloon in a building so old that the
window frames sagged. Mex, we were I.
aware of a noise which resolved IL
self into a confused tune-many
voices singing inharmOniously In the
Good Old Summer Time.
johnnie Murphy's ace, said ne,
Sho knows Chicago. Ever hear or
it? It's great" We entered.
Through the binding tobacco smoke
we made out the singers. They sat, TO
the number of a dozen. at a round Ia
BILE beside the stove, drawing ou-
their berry tune. One was just drop
ping asleep; all appeared sodden,
what with the beer and the thick at
mosphere. except one who had been
drinking whisky. He insisted on
pounding the table with his glass at
the end of every stanZa. Mos ly, they
ran to girth and jOWl; and they all had
that good-humored hardness of face
viii. h seems to go with ward politics.
Over by the end of the bar sat a trim,
elderly man, his pleasant, Celtic lace
turned toward the group a. the stove
with a shade of anxiety. His was the
sharpeSt, cleanest countenance in the
room. AS l earned afterWard, this
was Johnnie Murphy, the proprietor;
and Johnnie was worried about the
noise so late at highland Wi ii new
chief in town.
He who knows Chicago walked over
to the stove and dropped his hand
on the shoulder OF the biggest and fat
test of them all. With the other hand
he waved me forward.
His Honor Fred Busse, mayor OF
Chicago." said he.
And a human mountain heayed it
self, rumbled a few good-na ured
rumbles. and rose before me.
If 1 had been called upon to con-
ceiye cartoon OF the mayor OF PORK
town, it would have been-that. 1t
crossed my mind that he would have
made a star tackle in his youth
uldSSy 1893 -'HAS
young oaks, the, station on his fee;
of a superlative:y strong man who
could resist the shock OF an expess
train-but before ham and seeming,
somehow, TO have nodhing TO do with
the rest of him, grows a paunch IKE
an Onper cartoon OF the trusts. l.
seems, at it's highest rise, to curve
above the horizontal line, and just at
that point places a two-carat diamond
stud. His ,brOad, -gOOd-humored race
somehow escapes habbiness. The eyes
are small and OVERLAND with nesh, pu
they burn keen. The mouth is wide,
irregular, and pale. but it shuts like
a trap There are, too, unexpected
refinements, such as a pointed chin
and the round low comely forehead
which goes with imagination. One
does not get these points at frs sight
| however On a glance, it is all Prince
tof-good-fellows, Elks-and-Eagles fat
ness.
The mayor released my hand and
spoke.
Jimmy, give everybody drink" he
said.
"A drink! A drink, A drink" bawl-
ed his henchmen in unison, rafting
their glasses on the tables. He who
had been drinking whiskey> broke his
!
Johnnie Murphy rose, took two or
three nervous steps and hesita ed. His
honor, a foot on the rail, spat accu,
rately into the nearest cuspidor and
laughed until his diamond stud
| danced.
Hes afraid MY chief will raid the
place" said his honor, when he had
control of his voice. Funny, hun!
Raid the pace and git the mayor. II
amt of en- the boys are as risky as
this. Generally. it's the quietest place
in the ward. No, you don't" fol
some one was trying to pay for the
second round of drinks. MY moneys
the only money that's good here to
night. Jimmy, that goes on my
score
One of the troubadours had got III
from the table and started toward the
bar His honor caught him in a hal
embrace, and brought down one be
diamcnded hand on his chest.