Perhaps I am not learning a lot about tips, or graft, as it is called when it gets into society. You see in order to get his books introduced, Johnny is obliged to present his case to the superintendent of schools. If he succeeds in getting him coming his way, the next thing to do is to tackle the school board. Johnny got this far in telling his story to me and it struck me he was making a strong drink out of a weak one.
“Look here, Johnny,” said I, “what better do you want than that you have an intelligent, educated lot of men to deal with who are after the best thing that can be had for the interests of the school?”
“One minute,” said Johnny, and he swelled up with his superior knowledge of the business, “it is not the educated, intelligent side of the board I have to deal with, but it is the same side that the graft aldermen in the Chicago City Council shows when you want to get a bill through.”
“Do you mean,” said I, “that these school boards have to be seen?”
“Do they? Well, I should say they do, and if they are very intelligent or very well educated they have to be seen two or three times.”
Wouldn’t that knock an educated pup off the balance pole, Billy?
“How are you getting along in this town?” said I.
“That’s just it, Jack, I am not getting along at all. I have them all but one on my side, but he has sort of taken a dislike to me and I can’t budge him an inch. I thought perhaps you might help me out as you are something of a schemer, besides you owe me something for the lickings you used to give me when we were kids.”
“All right, Johnny, I will help you, but not on account of the lickings. They helped to make a man of you.”
Just then a lady came up the street who attracted my attention. She was just my style, tall, slim, dark and handsome, and had eyes that talked in spite of herself. She gave me a look that went under my vest and hurt. Johnny had to shake me before I woke up.