t be
known that he cared not who made the country's laws, so long as a fair
proportion of his constituents were supplied with places and pensions,
and his aggressive and successful championship of this principle soon
won for him a proud position in the councils of his party. He was a
friend of the common people, and the commoner the people the friendlier
he was, until, having clearly established his claims to leadership, in
obedience to the summons of his organization, he gave himself up to the
management of its destinies.

It was as the Boss of Tammany Hall that Mr. Doyle O'Meagher's genius
attained its largest and highest development. Notwithstanding the
opposition of rival factions engaged in bitter competition with Tammany,
Mr. O'Meagher contrived to let out the offices at larger commission
rates than Tammany had ever received before. Under no previous Boss had
Tammany's heelers enjoyed such vast opportunities for "business." It was
all in vain that envious and less-gifted bosses sought to undermine and
depose him. Steadily and courageously he pursued his policy of reducing
the labor of self-government to individual citizens until he had placed
their taxes at a maximum and their trouble at a minimum. They had but to
pay, Mr. O'Meagher did all the piping and all the dancing too.

He was in capital humor now as he dropped the pen with which he had
written his own name as that of the Mayoralty candidate for whom he had
finally decided to throw his important influence, and when a boy entered
with the information that Major Tuff was below, the Hon. Doyle O'Meagher
was actually whistling.

"Tuff," he said. "Good, I'm wanting Tuff. Send Tuff up."

Tuff entered. Tuff's hat was new and high and shiny. Tuff's hair was all
aglow with bear's grease. Tuff's eyes were small and snappy. Tuff's nose
was flat and wide and snubby. Tuff's cheeks were big and bony. Tuff's
cigar was long and black. Tuff's lips were thick and extensive. Tuff's
neck was huge and short. Tuff's coat was a heavy blue one that did for
an overcoat, too. Tuff wore diamonds as big as his knuckles. Tuff's
scarf was red. Tuff's waistcoat was yellow, and every color known to the
spectroscope was employed to make up Tuff's copious trousers.

"Well," said Tuff, "I'm on deck."

"Thank you, Major. How are things looking?"

"Dey couldn't be better. I got t'irty-six tenement houses wid at leas'
two hundered woters to de house. Dey's two t'ousan' Eyetalians, five