rapidly ruined." Hastily-convened meeting of the Council. Proposal
to ask our old Contractor to rebuild Strand and clear snow away. Our
old Contractor declines to tender for the job! He says, "Council has
abolished the Middleman, and had better get on without him, if it
can!" Rude, but forcible.

_Friday_.--Council heroically decides to do the work itself. Am told
off by Chairman to help remove old bricks on the Strand site. Have
first to dig snow away to get at bricks. Intense amusement of hostile
crowd, from whom we are protected by a cordon of police. Bark my
shins badly against wheel of cart. Chairman--who has been extremely
energetic in running up and down a ladder with a hod of mortar over
his shoulder, which he thinks is bricklaying--falls from ladder and is
taken off to Charing Cross Hospital; amid shower of brickbats. Crowd
wants to know "which is McDOUGALL." When they find out, pelt him with
snowballs. BURNS--who has stuck loyally to Council--fiercely denounced
as a "blackleg" by crowd. Amusing at any other time. Home in evening
dead tired, under police escort. Find all my front windows smashed!
After all--_was_ it wise to abolish the Contractor?

_Saturday_.--Whole County Council, protected by several regiments from
Aldershot, a park of Artillery, and all the City Police (Council's
own Police being out on strike, in sympathy with bricklayers), manage
with great difficulty to fill ten carts with rubbish, and then adjourn
to Spring Gardens. Refreshments and free sticking-plaster handed
round before Meeting takes place. Meeting unanimously decides to
re-establish old Middleman system! Sir JOHN LUBBOCK humorously
suggests that it is, at any rate, better than the "muddle-man" system
which we have tried and found wanting. Bonus of £5,000 out of rates,
enthusiastically voted to any Contractor who will tender for job of