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Page 36
He said he would "just look on." And so, during the last and
decisive day of the "whirlwind" campaign, while in Eighth
Avenue voters were being challenged, beaten, and bribed,
bonfires were burning, and "extras" were appearing every half
hour, "Izzy" Schwab, the Tammany henchman, with a secret worth
twenty thousand votes, sat a prisoner, in a wicker chair, with
a drink and a cigar, guarded by four young men in flannels,
who played tennis violently at five dollars a corner.
It was always a great day in the life of "Izzy" Schwab. After
a luncheon, which, as he later informed his friends, could not
have cost less than "two dollars a plate and drink all you
like," Sam Forbes took him on at pool. Mr. Schwab had learned
the game in the cellars of Eighth Avenue at two and a half
cents a cue, and now, even in Columbus Circle he was a star.
So, before the sun had set, Mr. Forbes, who at pool rather
fancied himself, was seventy-five dollars poorer, and Mr.
Schwab just that much to the good. Then there followed a
strange ceremony called tea, or, if you preferred it, whiskey
and soda; and the tall footman bent before him with huge
silver salvers laden down with flickering silver lamps, and
bubbling soda bottles, and cigars, and cigarettes.
"You could have filled your pockets with twenty-five cent
Havanas, and nobody would have said nothing!" declared Mr.
Schwab, and his friends who never had enjoyed his chance to
study at such close quarters the truly rich, nodded enviously.
At six o'clock Mr. Schwab led Winthrop into the big library
and asked for his ticket of leave.
"They'll be counting the votes soon," he begged. "I can't do
no harm now, and I don't mean to. I didn't see nothing, and I
won't say nothing. But it's election night, and--and I just
GOT to be on Broadway."
"Right," said Winthrop, "I'll have a car take you in, and if
you will accept this small check----"
"No!" roared "Izzy" Schwab. Afterward he wondered how he came
to do it. "You've give me a good time, Mr. Winthrop. You've
treated me fine, all the gentlemen have treated me nice. I'm
not a blackmailer, Mr. Winthrop." Mr. Schwab's voice shook
slightly.
"Nonsense, Schwab, you didn't let me finish," said Winthrop,
"I'm likely to need a lawyer any time; this is a retaining
fee. Suppose I exceed the speed limit--I'm liable to do
that----"
"You bet you are!" exclaimed Mr. Schwab violently.
"Well, then, I'll send for YOU, and there isn't a police
magistrate, nor any of the traffic squad, you can't handle, is
there?"
Mr. Schwab flushed with pleasure.
"You can count on me," he vowed, "and your friends too, and
the ladies," he added gallantly. "If ever the ladies want to
get bail, tell 'em to telephone for `Izzy' Schwab. Of
course," he said reluctantly, "if it's a retaining fee----"
But when he read the face of the check he exclaimed in
protest. "But, Mr. Winthrop, this is more than the Journal
would have give me!"
They put him in a car belonging to one of the other men, and
all came out on the steps to wave him "good-by," and he drove
magnificently into his own district, where there were over a
dozen men who swore he tipped the French chauffeur a five
dollar bill "just like it was a cigarette."
All of election day since her arrival in Winthrop's car, Miss
Forbes had kept to herself. In the morning, when the other
young people were out of doors, she remained in her room, and
after luncheon when they gathered round the billiard table,
she sent for her cart and drove off alone. The others thought
she was concerned over the possible result of the election,
and did not want to disturb them by her anxiety. Winthrop,
thinking the presence of Schwab embarrassed her, recalling as
it did Peabody's unfortunate conduct of the morning, blamed
himself for bringing Schwab to the house. But he need not
have distressed himself. Miss Forbes was thinking neither of
Schwab nor Peabody, nor was she worried or embarrassed. On
the contrary, she was completely happy.
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