佚名Anonymous
InallthisCubanbusinessthereisonemanstandsoutonthehorizonofmymemorylikeMarsaterihelion.
WhenwarbrokeoutbetweenSainandtheUnitedStates，itwasverynecessarytocommunicatequicklywiththeleaderoftheinsurgents.GarciawassomewhereinthemountainfastnessesofCuba—nooneknewwhere.NomailortelegrahmessagecouldreachhiThePresidentmustsecurehiscooeration，andquickly.Whattodo!
SomesaidtothePresident，
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TheresafellowbythenameofRowanwhowillfindGarciaforyou，ifanybodycan.
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RowanwassentforandgivenalettertobedeliveredtoGarcia.Howthe
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fellowbythenameofRowan
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tooktheletter，sealedituinanoilskinouch，straeditoverhisheart，infourdayslandedbynightoffthecoastofCubafromanoenboat，disaearedintothejungle，andinthreeweekscameoutontheothersideoftheIsland，havingtraversedahostilecountryonfootanddeliveredhislettertoGarcia—arethingsIhavenosecialdesirenowtotellindetail.TheointthatIwishtomakeisthis:McKinleygaveRowanalettertobedeliveredtoGarcia;Rowantooktheletteranddidnotask，
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Whereisheat?
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BytheEternal!Thereisamanwhoseformshouldbecastindeathlessbronzeandthestatuelacedineverycollegeoftheland.Itisnotbook-learningyoungmenneed，norinstructionaboutthisandthat，butastiffeningofthevertebraewhichwillcausethemtobeloyaltoatrust，toactromtly，concentratetheirenergies:dothething—
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CarryamessagetoGarcia.
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GeneralGarciaisdeadnow，butthereareotherGarcia.Nomanwhohasendeavoredtocarryoutanenterrisewheremanyhandswereneeded，buthasbeenwell-nighaalledattimesbytheimbecilityoftheaverageman—theinabilityorunwillingnesstoconcentrateonathinganddoit.
Slishodassistance，foolishinattention，dowdyindifference，andhalf-heartedworkseemtherule;andnomansucceeds，unlessbyhookorcrookorthreatheforcesorbribesothermentoassisthim;ormayha，GodinHisgoodnesserformsamiracle，andsendshimanAngelofLightforanassistant.
You，reader，utthismattertoatest:Youaresittingnowinyouroffice—sixclerksarewithincall.Summonanyoneandmakethisrequest:
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PleaselookintheencycloediaandmakeabriefmemorandumformeconcerningthelifeofCorreggio.
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Willtheclerkquietlysay，
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Yes，sir.
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andgodothetask?
Onyourlifehewillnot.Hewilllookatyououtofafishyeyeandaskoneormoreofthefollowingquestions:Whowashe?Whichencycloedia?Whereistheencycloedia?WasIhiredforthat?DontyoumeanBismarck?WhatsthematterwithCharliedoingit?Ishedead?Isthereanyhurry?ShantIbringyouthebookandletyoulookituyourself?Whatdoyouwanttoknowfor?
AndIwilllayyoutentoonethatafteryouhaveansweredthequestions，andexlainedhowtofindtheinformation，andwhyyouwantit，theclerkwillgooffandgetoneoftheotherclerkstohelhimtrytofindGarcia—andthencomebackandtellyouthereisnosuchman.OfcourseImaylosemybet，butaccordingtotheLawofAverage，Iwillnot.
Now，ifyouarewise，youwillnotbothertoexlaintoyour
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assistant
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thatCorreggioisindexedundertheCs，notintheKs，butyouwillsmileverysweetlyandsay，
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