slogan). It finally dawned on the corrupt old bully that the lowest bid
would get the contract. He then came into my office and took down his
bid to revise it. It was such a big contract that he could not afford to
lose it. I told him that if his bid was not back in time I would so note
it.

Bids were to be opened that night and read by me before the mayor and
council. I was familiar with every detail of the law governing municipal
bonds and contract letting. We had advertised that bids must be
filed before seven-thirty that evening. Big Jeff took down his bid at
seven-fifteen and filed his new bid at seven forty-five; fifteen minutes
after the legal time limit.

The council was in session and hundreds of citizens were there to
protest against any more deals in letting contracts at exorbitant
prices. I opened and read aloud the various bids, including that of the
big boss, Jeff Rowley, adding that Jeff's bid had been filed too late to
be legal.

"You lie!" he screamed. "You're a Welsh liar, and I'll kill you for
this!" The threat was heard by the council and the citizens. But the man
seemed so terrible that no one dared reprimand him.

A few moments later the city attorney sent down to the clerk's office
for some blanks. Jeff was waiting behind a corner of the hall. He hit me
a blow in the neck that knocked me four yards. It was the "rabbit blow"
and he expected it to break my neck. The hard muscles that the puddling
furnace put there saved my life. I sprang up, and he came after me
again. I seized the big fellow by the ankles and threw him down. Then I
battered his head against the floor until I was satisfied that he could
do me no more harm. He went home and took to his bed.

He announced that when he got out he would charge me with assault. I
went before the mayor and offered to plead guilty to such a charge.
The mayor protested against it. He said I had done the right thing in
protecting the honor of the city, and that the citizens would not permit
my action to cost me money. The local banker took up a collection to pay
my fine in case a fine should be assessed against me.

My salary as city clerk was forty dollars a month. My wages in the tin
mill were seven dollars a day. A week in the mill would have brought me
more than a month's pay in the city office. But I hoped the clerkship
would lead to something better.

One incident that happened while I was city clerk I have already
related. The city attorney al