Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-05-07

AAShSS " JILL
gan, If this was the business you
wanted to talk over with me here
"It isn't" assured the thoroughly un-
comfortable fnancier.
ooh! Then we can get down to real
business perhaps when this fellows
gone"
"That let's me out" observed Phelan
%cheerfully as he picked up his hat.
"G'by, MI. Wainwright. G'by. Mr..
Gibbs. Horrigan, PIP
. "But you'll stay to lunch, alderman,
won't you?" urged Horrigan, with an
effort at cordially that deceived no
one.
"No, thanks" replied Phelan. "When
the curtains down and the orchestra's
gone home 1 don't need no usher to
poke me in the ribs to tell me the
shows out. AS for stayin' to break
bread with Dick Horrigan, I'd sooner
have a jolly little grub fest with Wiley's
poison squad. Goodby, all. Horrigan,
as for you, some day I'll cross two
sticks Of dynamite under you and you'll
scatter so wide that the inquest over
your p'litical remains will have to be
held in fourteen countless"
II am so sorry, Mr.. Horrigan, that
this should have happened in my
house," said Wainwright as the irate
alderman stalked out, leaving the boss
staring after him in dumb fury. 81
meant it for the best and"-
MI. Wainwright" Interrupted Hor-
rigan, venting his pent-up wrath on his
dismayed host, "this old world Of ours
is white with bones of failures, Of
fools, of deadbeats. In other words,
of folks who meant it for the best
Now let's get down to business"
"First let me introduce Mr.. Gibbs.
He"-
"Glad to meet him, but he'll excuse
me when I say I never talk business
when there's a third party around. No
ofense, MI. Gibbs. Just walk out and
take a look at the view, like a good
boy, won't you? Thanks"
Gibbs, at a warning look of appeal
from Wainwright, checked the angry
retort that sprang to his lips, turned
on his heel and walked out. Horrigan,
who a observed the glance exchang-
ed between the two men, grudgingly
attempted to soften the effect of his
b~rusqueness.
II didn't mean to snub your friend"
said he, but Phelan riled me, and 1
took it out ON the next man l spoke to.
What on earth set you to having Phe-
Ian here to meet me for, anyway?'
Gust as l said. l wanted to win him
over to us. We will need every strong
man we can get this fall. We
"You know d lot about finance, Mr..
Wainwright. But you're a rank out
slider in politics or you'd never have
made such a break. l can't compro-
mise with Phelan even if l wanted to.
He's stood out against me, and I've
got to smash him. If he could defy me
and get away with it, other leaders
would think they could do it. too, and
in less than no time the organization
would be split up into a dozen factions,
and I'd be down and out. Understand?
I've got to look out for discipline if Pm
to hold the place I've won When a
man in the organization starts a fight
against me, l must down him. There's
no turning back. That's why Pm boss.
Every man in the crowd knows he's
got to obey me or fight me and that if
it's fight it's a battle to the death. And
he's the man who does the dying, not
I. Now, you understand? So we can
! get to business. WHAT
But business seemed this morning
fated to many Interruptions. The lat
est came in the form of Judge New
man, who, bustling into the room with
all his customary pompous dignity.
suddenly stopped in his tracks and
wilted at sight of the boss.
"Good morning, Mr.. Horrigan," said
the judge ingratiatingly, wriggling I'M
der the boss glover. 81 hope I'm not
here too early and that Mr.. Vain
wright has interceded for
For your renomination?" queried
Horrigan, speaking as though to a dis
graced servant. .'If that's what you're
here for you might have spared your
self the trouble. What l told you be-
fore still goes"
But, Mr.. Horrigan, consider how
long I've been on the bench, and".-
"And it's time you got your nose out
Of the feed bag and gave some one else
a chance. You are
"I'm growing old, Mr.. Horriganv'
pleaded the thoroughly cowed judge.
Glow can / go back to law practice
and compete with younger men? Be-
sides, Mrs. Newman declares"-
II can't help that" returned Horri-
gan, quite unmoved. you've had your
share. We've got to look out for our
own active workers-for the men we
can count on to do the right thing"
"But, Mr.. Horrigan," protested the
judge, II always try to do what is
right"
81 said the right thing" corrected
the boss. "See the d~ifference"
Excuse me, judge" interviewed
Wainwright. "If you'll leave this mat
ter in my hands, l will try to convince
Mr.. Horrigan of your fitness. Just
leave it all to me-"
"Oh, thank you SO much, Charlesw
Crind tho roliovod i,duo tsT,un c,,ro 4