The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-01-12

and any one. to see his smile. must have
loved him-but he shook his head.
The drinks in you. boys" he said.
"and you can't trust your tongues.
You'll have to wait. Monday night you'll
be over. Then we'll talk business"
Systematically. they still were sober:
In a strange dual mentality they saw the
safety there was In his, decision; and.
in the paralysis OF will his magnetism
worked In them, they loved him the more
for It. They remembered that II was
Just what Malachi would have done. And
so. noisy and excited as they were. they
applauded his sagacity. Then they gave
themselves over unreservedly to their APP
petites. II was a famous night In the
annals of the gang. Jimmy himself join
ed in the revelry. And in the calm. silent
Sunday morning, with the new sunlight
Of spring giaring in his swollen. aching
eyes, he found himself, with a companion.
in Clark Street, chophouse. Just as
they were going to order breakfast a
young man came In. with black look
In his eyes. No one saw II then. though
they all remembered 1t afterward. Jimmy
greeted him as gayly as he greeted
everybody, but the young man did not
warm to Jimmy's greeting. There were
words. the quick rush Of anger to Jim
my's face. a blow. and the pistol shot.
At first the newspapers were glad to
trace some sinister connection between
the franchise fight and the tragedy.
Afterward, they said 1t was only some
private grudge. No one dreamed that
Jimmy Herman had an enemy on earth.
At the hospital. Jimmy opened his eyes
and on his face, grown very white. there
was a smile again. the last of his win
ming smiles. His friends were with him.
49, aoko - rAA,, H. rarI
ed his head on his pillow and spoke of
Annie. The calm Sister of Charity press
ed her rosary into his hand. and stopped
TO listen. They had Just time to send
for Father Daugherty.
Down In the ward the sadness that had
come to Leadam Street spread blackly.
Many a man. and many a woman, and
many 4 child cried. The poor had lost
a friend. and they would not soon for
get him. In the long days of the distant
winter they would think of him over
and over. Every one in that ward was
poor. though the reformers. condescend-
ing that way whenever Jimmy was up
for reelection. somehow never grasped
the real significance OF the fact. And II
was a somber Monday around the city
hall. Jimmy had been a man with a
genius for friendship. The gang mourned
him In a sadness that had added to II
the remorse Of a recent sobriety. but
their grief. genuine as It was, had in II
an evil bitterness their hearts would not
have owned. They were FESTIVE and
troubled. Whenever they got together in
little groups. they read CONSERVATION in
one another's faces: and now and then
they cursed the caution they had ex-
tolled on Saturday night Besides these
varied effects, Jimmy's death. while II
could not create a crisis In the market.
nevertheless gave rise to nervous feelings
in certain segments of financial circles.
It was inevitable that financial and po-
litical circles should overlap and inter-
sect each other in this matter. and there
were conferences which seemed to re-
feet a sense OF personal resentment at
Jimmy for having been murdered so in
opportunity. In the end. the financiers
were peremptory with Baldwin. He must
fix the thing some way. And he assured
them that he would give the appointment
of the administration his immediate at
tention. Already. he said. he had a man
in view who would be reasonable and
practical. There were suggestions Of
strong handed methods. but that was
never George r. Baldwin's way. He
went out with his air of affabllity unim-
paired. Meanwhile. political and finan-
cial circles could only wait and hope.
The excitement OF the first few days
following the tragedy kept Annie's mind
occupied: but. when the funeral was
over. and she returned TO her little fiat.
when the neighborly women had at last
gone back TO their homes and their in
terrupted duties. and the world to its
work. Annie was left TO face life alone.
She could not adjust herself to the
change, and fear and despair added their
blackness TO her grief. Father Daugh-
erty knew how great a blow Jimmy's