s usual majority.
On the night of the election it was reported--though this may have been
mere rumour--that the bills which he laid on the counter of each saloon
in the ward (and always forgot to take any change) were of the value of
fifty dollars each. That was some years ago, but I understand that he is
still in that same City Council, representing that same ward.

It was in the same city that one year I received notice of my personal
property tax, the amount assessed against me being about ten times
higher than it ought to have been. Experience had taught me that it was
useless to make any protest against small impositions, but a
multiplication of my obligations by tenfold was not to be submitted to
without a struggle. I wrote therefore to the proper authority, making
protest, and was told that the matter would be investigated. After a
lapse of some days, I was invited to call at the City Hall. There I was
informed by one of the subordinate officials that it was undoubtedly a
case of malice--that the assessment had been made by either a personal
or a political enemy. I was then taken to see the Chief. The Chief was a
corpulent Irishman of the worst type. My guide leaned over him and in an
undertone, but not so low that I did not hear, gave him a brief _resume_
of the story, stating that it was undoubtedly a case of intentional
injustice, and concluding with an account of myself and my interests
which showed that the speaker had taken no little trouble to post
himself upon the subject. He emphasised the fact of my association with
the press. At this point for the first time the Chief evinced some
interest in the tale. His intelligence responded to the word
"newspapers" as promptly as if an electrical current had suddenly been
switched into his system. "H'm! newspapers!" he grunted. Then, heaving
his bulk half round in his chair so as partially to face me----

"This is a mistake," he said. "We will say no more about it. Your
assessment's cancelled."

"I beg your pardon," I said, "I have no objection to paying one-tenth of
the amount. If an '0' is cut off the end----"

"That's all right," he said. "The whole thing is cut off."

I made another protest, but he waved me away and my guide led me from
the room. Because it was opined that, through the press, I might be able
to make myself objectionable if the imposition was persisted in, I paid
no tax at all that year. Which was every whit as immoral as the original
offe