They hailed
the coming of "the Dutchman" with shouts of derision, and decided,
I suppose, to finish me off while I was new. So they pulled themselves
together for an effort, and within a week I was so badly "beaten"
in the Police Department, in the Health Department, in the Fire
Department, the Coroner's office, and the Excise Bureau, all of
which it was my task to cover, that the manager of the Press Bureau
called me down to look me over. He reported to the _Tribune_ that
he did not think I would do. But Mr. Shanks told him to wait and
see. In some way I heard of it, and that settled it that I was to
win. I might be beaten in many a battle, but how could I lose the
fight with a general like that?
And, indeed, in another week it was their turn to be called down to
give an account of themselves. The "Dutchman" had stolen a march
on them. I suppose it was to them a very astounding thing, yet it
was perfectly simple. Their very strength, as they held it to be,
was their weakness. They were a dozen against one, and each one of
them took it for granted that the other eleven were attending to
business and that he need not exert himself overmuch.
Pages:
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231