Max Onthemaker, Esquire, was in heaven. He finally had butted into polite society! From the Bowery to Wall Street! At last he was opposed by the very best. A lawyer is known by his opponents!
Mr. Lindsay protested with quite unprofessional heat. It was an outrage.
"Amare et sapere vix deo conceditur," Mr. Onthemaker solemnly reminded the leader of the corporation bar. "Also, dear Mr. Lindsay, I am ready to accept service of any paper you may see fit to honor us with. My client means to fight to the bitter end."
"Yes, in the newspapers!" bitterly said the eminent Mr. Lindsay through his clenched teeth.
"And with sandwiches! When we ask for bread you give us a stone. But we give you a sandwich. There's no ground for criminal action in view of the public's frame of mind toward the money power. But if you will sue us for one million dollars damages I'll name my forthcoming baby after you."
Mr. Lindsay hung up with violence, mistaking the telephone-holder for Mr. Onthemaker's cranium.
XIII
The reporters of the conservative journals sought H. R. later in the day—simply because the reporters for the live newspapers did. The system was to blame. A daily paper may eschew vulgarity, but it must not be beaten. By using better grammar and no adjectives they intelligently show they are never sensational.
The newspaper-men confronted H. R. eagerly. It was the day's big story. They asked him about it.