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The city is a nominal democracy。 In fact it is nothing of the sort。 It is governed by one politician who holds no office。 Elections are solemn rituals…and the outes are
…what he ordains。 The streets are beautifully paved because his panies pave them…to his profit。 The schools are excellent； and they actually teach…because this monarch wants it that way。 He is pragmatically benign and does not overreach。 〃Crime〃 （which means anything illegal and
470includes both prostitution and gambling） is franchised through his lieutenants； he never touches it himself。
Much of this crime…by…definition is handled by an
organization sometimes called 〃The Black Hand〃…but in
1916 it usually has no… name and is never seen。 But it is
why I don't dare accept election bets； I would be encroaching on a monopoly of one of this politician's lieu…
… tenants…which would be very dangerous to my health~ Instead； I'll bet by the local rules and keep my mouth
shut。
The 〃respectable〃 citizen； with his pleasant home and garden ai~d church and happy children； sees najie of this and （I think） suspects little of it and thinks about it less。
The city is divided into zones with firm though unmarked bounds。 The descendants of former slaves live in a zone
that forms a buffer between the 〃nice〃 part of town and the area dominated by and lived in by the franchised
monopolists of such things as gambling and prostitution。 At night the zones mix only under unspoken conventions。 In the daytime there is nothing to notice。 The boss
maintains tight discipline but keeps it simple。 I've heard that he has only three unbreakable rules： Keep the streets
… …well paved。 Don't touch the schools。 Don't kill anyone south of a certain street。
In 1916 it works just fine…but not much longer。
I must stop； I have an appointment at K。C。 Photo Supply pany to… use a lab…in private。 Then I must get back to the grift： separating people from dollars painlessly and… fairly legally。 …
Love forever and all the way back；
L
P。S。 You should see me in a derby hat！
DA CAPO471
Ill
Maureen
Mr。 Theodore Bronson n？Woodrow Wilson Smith aka Lazarus Long left his apartment oh Armour Boulevard and
drove his car； a Ford landaulet； to a corner on Thirty…first Street； where he parked it in a shed behind a pawnshop…as he took a dim view of leaving an automobile on the street at night。 Not that the car had cost Lazarus much； he had acquired it as a result of the belief of an optimist from Denver that aces back to back plus a pair showing could certainly
beat a pair of jacks…Mr。 〃Jenkins〃 must be bluffing。 But Mr。
〃Jenkins〃 had a jack in the hole。
It had been a profitable winter； and Lazarus expected a still more prosperous spring。 His guess about a war market on certain stocks and modities had usually been correct； and his spread of investments was wide enough that a wrong guess did not hurt him much as most of his guesses were right… they could hardly be wrong since he had anticipated stepped…up submarine warfare； knowing what would eventually bring this country into the war in Europe。
Watching the market left him time for other 〃investments〃 in other people's optimism； sometimes at pool； sometimes at cards。 He enjoyed pool more； found cards more rewarding。 All winter he had played both； and his plain and rather friendly face； when decorated with his best stupid look； marked him as a natural sucker…a look he enhanced by dressing as a hayseed e to town。
Lazarus did not mind other pool…hall hustlers； or 〃mechanics〃 in card games； or 〃reader〃 cards； he simply kept quiet and accepted any buildup winnings offered him； then 〃lost his nerve〃 and dropped out before the kill。 He enjoyed these crooked games； it was easier…and pleasanter…to take money from a thief than it was to play an honest game to win； and it did not cost as much sleep； he always dropped out of a crooked game early； even when he was behind。 But his timing was rarely that bad。
Winnings he reinvested in the market。
All winter he had stayed 〃'Red' Jenkins；〃 living at the
Y。M。C。A。asid spending almost nothing。 When the weather was very bad； he stayed in and read； avoiding the steep and
…icy streets。 He had forgotten how harsh a Kansas City winter
……could be。 Once he saw a team of big horses trying gallantly to haul a heavy truck up the steep pitch of Tenth Street above Grand Avenue。 The off horse slipped on the ice and broke a leg…Lazarus heard the cannon bone pop。 It made him feel
sick； and he wanted to horsewhip the teamster…why hadn't the fool taken the long way around？
Such days were best spent in his room or in the Main Public Library near the Y。M。C。A。…hundreds …of thousands … of real books； bound books he could hold in his hands。 They tempted
…him almost into neglecting his pursuit of money。 During that cruel winter he spent every spare hour there； getting reacquainted with his oldest friends…Mark Twain with Dan Beard's illustrations； Dr。 Conan Doyle； the Marvelous Land of Oz as described by the Royal Historian and portrayed in color by John R。 Neil； Rudyard Kipling； Herbert George Wells；
Jules Verne… Lazarus felt that he could easily spend all the ing ten
years in that wonderful building。
But when false spring arrived； he started thinking about moving out of the business district and again changing his persona。 It was being difficult to get picked as a sucker either at pool or at poker； his investment program was plete； he had enough cash in Fidelit？ Savings & Trust Bank to allow him to give up the austerity of the Y。M。C。A。； find a better address； and show a more prosperous face to the world
…essential to his final purpose in this city： remeeting his first family…and not much time left before his July deadline。 …
Acquiring a presentable motorcar crystallized his plans。 He spent the next day being 〃Theodore Bronson〃： moved his bank account one street over to the Missouri Savings Bank； and held out ample cash； visited a barber and had his hair and mustache restyled； went to Browning； King & Co。； and bought clothing suitable to a conservative young businessman。 Then he drove south and cruised Linwood Boulevard； watching for 〃Vacancy〃 signs。 His requirements were simple~ a furnished apartment with a respectable address and facade； its own kitchen and bathroom…and in walking distance of a pool hall on Thirty…first Street。
He did not plan to hustle in that pool hall； it was one of two
472
473places where he hoped to meet a member of his first family。 Lazarus found what he needed； but on Armour Boulevard
rather than Linwood and rather far from that pool hail。 This caused him to rent two garaging spaces…diflicult； as Kansas City was not yet accustomed to supplying housing for automobiles。 But two dollars a month got him space in a barn close to his apartment； three dollars a month got him a shed behind the pawnshop next to the Idle Hour Billiard Parlour。
He started a routine： Spend each evening from eight to ten at the pool hall； attend the church on Linwood Boulevard that his family had attended （did attend）； go downtown mornings when business required…by streetcar； Lazarus considered an automobile a nuisance in downtown Kansas City； and he enjoyed riding streetcars。 He began profit…taking on his investments； coverting the proceeds into gold double eagles and saving them in a lockbox in a third bank； the monwealth。 He expected to plete liquidation； with enough gold to carry him through November 11； 1918； well before his July departure date。
In his spare time he kept the landaulet shining； took care of its upkeep 'himself； and drove it for pleasure。 He also worked slowly； carefully； and very privately on a tailoring job： making a chamois…skin vest that was nothing but pockets； each to hold one 20 gold piece。 When pleted and filled and pocket